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
Prepare the stock
Let the stock cool completely and remove all fat.
Clarify and simmer
In a stewpan, combine the stock, gelatin, bouquet garni, celery cut into large pieces, and the beaten egg whites and shells.
Whisk over medium heat until near boiling.
Add the sherry and vinegar.
Continue whisking until boiling.
Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
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
- Egg whites and shells
- Collect impurities as they cook, leaving the liquid clear when strained.
- Gelatine
- Sets the stock into a firm, wobbly jelly when chilled.
- Jellied veal stock
- Provides the main savoury flavour and the body of the aspic.
- Sherry
- Adds aromatic flavour and depth to the set jelly.
- Vinegar
- Adds acidity that brightens the flavour of the jelly.
The step that matters
Whisking the egg whites into the stock. Whisk until the mixture nears boiling so the egg whites coagulate and trap particles; if the liquid is stirred or boiled too hard before that, the aspic stays cloudy and cannot be strained clear.
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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