Why it works: Parsley and thyme match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 9,057 recipes. Both carry cuminaldehyde, which smells Spicy, cumin. The science ↓
Aspic Jelly
Ingredients
Directions
Clarify the stock
Let the stock cool completely and remove all fat.
In a saucepan, combine the stock, gelatine, herbs, celery cut into large pieces, and the beaten egg whites and shells.
Whisk over medium heat until near boiling, then add the sherry and vinegar.
Continue whisking until boiling, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Finish
Strain the mixture until clear and use as required.
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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Parsley + thymetop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together9,057 recipes
Shared aroma: cuminaldehyde (Spicy, cumin).
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Parsley + celerytop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together6,810 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
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Thyme + celerytop 3% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,193 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
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Wine + thymetop 10% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together2,349 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-one (mushroom, metallic).
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Sherry + thymetop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together702 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-ol (mushroom, earthy).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Jellied veal stock
- Provides the main liquid and savoury body of the aspic.
- Gelatine
- Sets the liquid into a firm, sliceable jelly as it cools.
- Eggs (whites and shells)
- Whites trap impurities as they cook, and shells help clarify the stock to a clear result.
- Sherry
- Adds aroma and a mild sweetness that balances the acidity.
- Vinegar
- Adds acidity that brightens flavour and helps the egg whites coagulate during clarifying.
The step that matters
Clarifying while whisking to a boil. Whisking as the mixture heats keeps the egg whites dispersed so they can rise and collect impurities. If it boils before the whites have formed a raft, or is stirred too hard afterward, the stock turns cloudy. Straining gently through a cloth then gives a clear aspic.
Swap the celery
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (veal, sherry, vinegar, wine, egg, parsley, thyme):
- Tarragonfits better
- Marjoramfits better
- Sagefits better
- Celerythe original
Fit is the average pairing score against veal, sherry, vinegar, wine, egg, parsley, thyme. 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.
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