Why it works: Mustard and lettuce match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 2% of all ingredient pairs, and 1,356 recipes mention both. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓
The recipe
Ingredients
Directions
Make the dressing
Mix all dressing ingredients.
Chill until ready to use.
Serve
Pour over greens and tomato slices.
This recipe comes from the Recipes Wiki on Fandom and is licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Our formatting and summaries are shared under the same licence.
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 aroma chemistry they share, and how many recipes mention both.
-
Mustard + lettucetop 2% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together1,356 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Lettuce + spinachtop 2% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together427 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine (green bell pepper, earthy).
-
Apple + red winetop 3% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together147 recipes
Shared aroma: isoamyl acetate (banana, fruity).
-
Vinegar + mustardtop 4% of all pairsAroma overlaplowMentioned together14,067 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Red wine + vinegartop 4% of all pairsAroma overlapstrongMentioned together569 recipes
Shared aroma: sotolon (curry, maple).
Vinegar and mustard share little aroma chemistry, yet 14,067 recipes mention both: they likely work on texture and structure more than aroma.
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Olive oil
- Provides fat that carries the dressing and gives it a smooth, rich body.
- Dijon mustard
- Adds sharp flavor and helps emulsify the oil and liquids into a stable dressing.
- Red wine vinegar
- Adds acidity that brightens the dressing and balances the oil.
- Apple juice
- Adds sweetness and liquid that mellows the sharpness of the vinegar and mustard.
The step that matters
Chill until ready to use. Oil and vinegar separate on standing, so the dressing should be well mixed again before pouring. Chilling thickens the oil slightly, so it may need a brief stir or shake to loosen before serving.
Flavor stand-ins for the apple
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (olive, red wine, vinegar, lemon, mustard, lettuce, spinach):
- Limebetter flavor fit
- Avocadobetter flavor fit
- Orangebetter flavor fit
- Applethe original
Fit is the average pairing score against olive, red wine, vinegar, lemon, mustard, lettuce, spinach. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes. This compares flavor only: it does not check the job the ingredient does in the dish (bulk, moisture, acidity, structure).
“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.
You might also like
Illustration
Illustration
Illustration
IllustrationThe Sunday pairing: one pairing, the chemistry behind it, and how to cook it. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account for sign-in; Pro adds the full results and chemistry.