Why it works: Mustard and vinegar are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 7% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 14,067 recipes. Both carry isobutyraldehyde, which smells malty, green. The science ↓
Salad Dressing-
Ingredients
Directions
In a bowl, combine the egg, salad oil, mixed mustard, salt, pounded sugar, vinegar, and cream.
Stir the mixture thoroughly until well combined.
Adjust the consistency by adding vinegar gradually until it resembles cream.
Use immediately or store in a cool place for up to 5 days.
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 their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Mustard + vinegartop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together14,067 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
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Sugar + creamtop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together43,450 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,3-butanedione (butter, sweet).
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Sugar + vinegartop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together20,806 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
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Mustard + sugartop 19% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together8,424 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
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Egg + sugartop 21% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together122,807 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Egg
- Binds the dressing and adds richness and body to the emulsion.
- Salad oil
- Provides fat for a smooth, rich texture and mouthfeel.
- Mixed mustard
- Helps emulsify the oil and adds sharpness to the dressing.
- Vinegar
- Adds acidity for tang and is used to thin the dressing to the desired consistency.
- Cream
- Adds moisture and creaminess, softening the dressing's texture.
The step that matters
Adjust the consistency with vinegar. Vinegar should be added gradually because it thins the dressing quickly. Adding too much at once can make it watery and split the emulsion, so it is best to add small amounts until it resembles cream.
Swap the mustard
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (egg, sugar, vinegar, cream):
- Mustardthe original
- Cucumberfits about as well
- Capsicumfits about as well
- Horseradishfits about as well
Fit is the average pairing score against egg, sugar, vinegar, cream. 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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