Why it works: Pepper and tarragon match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 5% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 2,399 recipes. Both carry estragole, which smells anise, licorice. The science ↓
French Salad Dressing
Ingredients
Directions
Make the dressing
Stir the salt and pepper into a large spoonful of oil until the salt dissolves.
Mix in the additional oil and pour the mixture over the salad.
Dress and serve
Toss the salad well, then add the tarragon vinegar.
Mix thoroughly and serve immediately.
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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Pepper + tarragontop 5% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together2,399 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Oil
- Carries the seasoning and coats the salad leaves, giving the dressing its body and mouthfeel.
- Tarragon vinegar
- Adds acidity that brightens the dressing and balances the richness of the oil.
The step that matters
Add the vinegar after tossing the salad. Oil and vinegar do not mix on their own, so the vinegar is added last and mixed thoroughly to spread its acidity evenly. Adding it too early or serving late can leave the dressing uneven or the leaves wilted.
“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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