Why it works: Tomato and pepper are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 7% of all ingredient pairs, and 17,923 recipes mention both. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓
Tomato Soup
Ingredients
Directions
Cook and strain
Boil the tomatoes in boiling water until thoroughly tender.
Strain the mixture through a sieve.
Season and serve
Add baking soda, salt, pepper, and butter to the strained liquid.
Serve the soup over rolled crackers.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Photo for illustrative purposes only · Contact us to use it
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much aroma chemistry they share, and how many recipes mention both.
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Tomato + peppertop 7% of all pairsAroma overlapmoderateMentioned together17,923 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
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Pepper + buttertop 21% of all pairsAroma overlapmoderateMentioned together85,593 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-nonenal (cardboard, fatty).
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Tomato + buttertop 22% of all pairsAroma overlapmoderateMentioned together6,918 recipes
Shared aroma: 3-hexenal (apple, fruity).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Tomatoes
- Provide the main body, flavor, and liquid of the soup as they soften in boiling water.
- Baking soda
- Neutralizes some of the tomatoes' acidity, mellowing the sharp, tart taste.
- Butter
- Adds fat for a richer flavor and smoother mouthfeel.
The step that matters
Adding the baking soda. Baking soda reacts with the tomato acid and fizzes, and too much can leave a soapy or bitter taste. Add it to the strained liquid in the given amount, then taste before adding more salt or pepper.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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