Why it works: Pepper and parsley match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 2% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 34,122 recipes. Both carry 4'-methylacetophenone, which smells bitter almond. The science ↓
Veal Stew
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Place veal strips in a skillet and cover with cold water.
Bring to a gentle simmer and add the sliced potato.
Stew for 20 to 30 minutes, ensuring the water does not boil away.
Thicken and finish
In a bowl, mix flour with a little milk to create a paste.
Once the meat is tender, add the milk and flour mixture to the broth.
Season with butter, salt, pepper, and parsley if desired.
Add the sliced hard-boiled eggs and bring to a boil.
Serve with or without toast.
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.
-
Pepper + parsleytop 2% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together34,122 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
-
Potato + parsleytop 5% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,855 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
-
Milk + buttertop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together81,283 recipes
Shared aroma: (z)-4-heptenal (biscuit, cream).
-
Potato + peppertop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together8,305 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Potato + milktop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,611 recipes
Shared aroma: (e,z)-2,6-nonadienal (cucumber, melon).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Veal
- Provides the main protein, which becomes tender and flavourful as it simmers in the broth.
- Flour
- Mixed into milk and stirred into the broth to thicken it into a smooth, creamy sauce.
- Milk
- Adds creaminess and body to the broth, softening its flavour as it combines with the flour.
- Potato
- Softens as it cooks, adding starch and body that help give the stew substance.
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Add richness and a soft, firm texture to the finished stew.
The step that matters
Adding the flour and milk paste. Flour must be smoothed into a paste with a little milk first, then stirred into hot broth. Added dry, it clumps and never thickens evenly. Keep the stew at a gentle simmer afterward so the sauce thickens smoothly without scorching.
Swap the parsley
The recipe marks parsley as optional. How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (veal, potato, egg, milk, flour, butter, pepper):
- Parsleythe original
- Nutmegfits about as well
- Cinnamonfits less well
- Turmericfits less well
Fit is the average pairing score against veal, potato, egg, milk, flour, butter, pepper. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“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.
More veal stew recipes
You might also like
The free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.
Potato Croquettes255 recipes
Potato Rolls78 recipes
Potato Chips53 recipes
Sweet Potato Croquettes53 recipes