Why it works: Tarragon and vinegar are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 7% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 2,547 recipes. Both carry isobutyraldehyde, which smells malty, green. The science ↓
White Mayonnaise Sauce
Ingredients
Directions
Make the emulsion
In a basin, combine the egg yolks, salt, and tarragon vinegar, then stir quickly with a wooden spoon.
Gradually add the oil and a few drops of vinegar while mixing constantly, rubbing against the sides of the basin.
As the mixture thickens, continue to add oil and vinegar a little at a time, along with the lukewarm savoury jelly.
Use about ½ pint of oil, ⅛ pint of savoury jelly, and enough vinegar to taste.
Serve
Serve immediately.
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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Tarragon + vinegartop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,547 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
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Egg + tarragontop 22% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together1,789 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-methylbutyraldehyde (malty, chocolate).
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Egg + vinegartop 33% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together12,922 recipes
Shared aroma: acetic acid (sour, vinegar).
Egg and vinegar barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 12,922 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Egg yolks
- Their lecithin emulsifies the oil and vinegar, giving the sauce its thick, stable body.
- Oil
- Forms the droplets that give mayonnaise its rich texture and fat content.
- Tarragon vinegar
- Adds acidity that sharpens the flavour and helps the sauce hold its shape.
The step that matters
Adding the oil gradually while mixing constantly. Oil must be dispersed into tiny droplets before the next portion is added. Adding it too fast overwhelms the egg yolk emulsifier, so the sauce splits and turns oily instead of thickening.
“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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