Why it works: Wheat and milk are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 6% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 2,418 recipes. Both carry (e,z)-2,6-nonadienal, which smells cucumber, melon. The science ↓
Dutch Leek Soup
Ingredients
Directions
Make the soup
Blend flour, bouillon cubes, and water.
Stir in milk and mace.
Bring to a boil; immediately reduce heat to simmer; simmer 10 minutes.
Add leeks and cream; simmer 10 minutes.
Serve
Serve cheese with soup at the table.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 5 of 8 ingredients. The other 3 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 5 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Cheese | 1 oz (28g) cheddar | 113 |
| Cream | 1 tbsp (15ml) heavy | 51 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
| Mace | not in our table | 0 |
| Gouda | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
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.
-
Wheat + milktop 6% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,418 recipes
Shared aroma: (e,z)-2,6-nonadienal (cucumber, melon).
-
Flour + leektop 8% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together328 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Wheat + leektop 9% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together20 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl butyrate (apple, fruity).
-
Milk + cheesetop 10% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,426 recipes
Shared aroma: delta-dodecalactone (sweet, creamy).
-
Wheat + flourtop 12% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,373 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Whole wheat flour
- Thickens the broth as it simmers, giving the soup body.
- Leeks
- Provide the main vegetable flavor and soft texture in the soup.
- Milk
- Adds richness and a creamy body to the broth.
- Whipping cream
- Adds fat for a richer, smoother mouthfeel.
- Edam or gouda cheese
- Adds savory, nutty flavor when served on the soup.
The step that matters
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Flour-thickened liquids can scorch on the bottom of the pot if heat is too high, and milk can scorch or curdle at a hard boil. Gentle simmering keeps the soup smooth.
Swap the mace
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (wheat, flour, milk, leek, cream, cheese):
- Nutmegfits better
- Cinnamonfits better
- Celeryfits better
- Macethe original
Fit is the average pairing score against wheat, flour, milk, leek, cream, cheese. 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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