Why it works: Parsley and lemon match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 14,037 recipes. Both carry beta-phellandrene, which smells minty, terpene. The science ↓
Boiled Shad
Ingredients
Directions
Poach the shad
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a generous amount of coarse sea salt.
If desired, add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to the water.
Carefully place the dressed shad on a strainer and lower it into the boiling water.
Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, being careful not to break the skin when serving.
Serve
Serve the fish on a folded napkin, garnished with parsley and sliced lemon.
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 + lemontop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together14,037 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
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Vinegar + parsleytop 16% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together6,477 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
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Vinegar + lemontop 20% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together7,334 recipes
Shared aroma: acetic acid (sour, vinegar).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Shad
- Is the main protein; cooks gently in the simmering water until its flesh turns opaque and flakes.
- Coarse sea salt
- Seasons the cooking water so the fish is flavoured as it poaches.
The step that matters
Lowering the shad into the water. Boiling water is turbulent and can tear the delicate skin and flesh. Placing the fish on a strainer and lowering it carefully keeps it intact while it cooks.
“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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