Why it works: Oyster and mushroom are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 17% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,299 recipes. Both carry 2,4-nonadienal, which smells fatty, green. The science ↓
Ye Olde Rump Steake Pudding with Ye Larks, Kidneys, Oysters, and Mushrooms
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Prepare the rump steak by cutting it into small pieces.
Clean the larks and kidneys, then chop them finely.
Remove the gills from the oysters and chop them.
Sauté the mushrooms in a pan until tender.
Assemble and steam
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and season to taste.
Place the mixture in a pudding mold and steam for 1 hour.
Serve
Serve hot.
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.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Oyster + mushroomtop 17% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,299 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-nonadienal (fatty, green).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Rump steak
- Provides the main meaty body and savoury beef flavour, becoming tender during long gentle steaming.
- Kidneys
- Adds a rich, deep, savoury flavour and a firm meaty texture to the filling.
- Oysters
- Contribute a briny, savoury sea flavour that seasons the filling from within.
- Mushrooms
- Add moisture and savoury umami flavour once softened in the pan.
The step that matters
Steaming the pudding for 1 hour. Steam must stay steady and the mold must be sealed so the pudding does not dry out. Gentle, moist heat slowly tenderises the meat and keeps the filling juicy, while a boil that is too hard or a water level that runs low can leave it tough or dry.
“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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