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 ↓
Cheese Omelette
Ingredients
Directions
Beat the eggs with cold water until yolks and whites are mixed.
Melt butter in an omelette pan over medium heat.
Pour in the eggs and shake the pan constantly until set.
Remove from heat and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and grated cheese.
Roll the omelette and turn it out onto a hot platter garnished with parsley.
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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Pepper + parsleytop 2% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together34,122 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
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Butter + cheesetop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together7,962 recipes
Shared aroma: delta-dodecalactone (sweet, creamy).
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Butter + parsleytop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together28,563 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-hexenal (green, leafy).
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Egg + buttertop 17% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together118,967 recipes
Shared aroma: decanal (soap, orange peel).
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Pepper + cheesetop 18% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together7,861 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Eggs
- Set into a tender structure when heated, forming the body of the omelette.
- Butter
- Adds richness and keeps the eggs from sticking to the pan.
- Grated cheese
- Melts into the eggs, adding flavor and a creamy texture.
- Cold water
- Adds a little moisture so the omelette stays soft rather than dry.
The step that matters
Shake the pan constantly until set. Constant movement keeps the egg moving so small curds form and the surface does not overcook or brown. Overheating makes eggs tough and rubbery.
“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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