Why it works: Sherry and mushroom are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 5% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,176 recipes. Both carry 2-methoxy-4-methylphenol, which smells smoky, clove. The science ↓
Colorful Rice
Ingredients
Directions
Make the rice
Cook onions in butter until tender.
Add rice, pimientos, salt, pepper, sherry, mushrooms and almonds; cook until heated through. Toss lightly.
Shape and serve
Spoon into buttered custard cups, pressing to mold.
Unmold onto plates.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 8 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Rice | 1 cup cooked (158g) white | 206 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Wine | 2 tbsp cooking wine (30ml) | 25 |
| Mushrooms | 1/2 cup sliced (35g) | 15 |
| Almond | 1 almond (1.2g) | 7 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 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.
-
Sherry + mushroomtop 5% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,176 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-methoxy-4-methylphenol (smoky, clove).
-
Rice + almondtop 6% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,456 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
-
Butter + mushroomtop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together12,525 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-decenal (waxy, orange).
-
Rice + mushroomtop 9% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,515 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-nonadienal (fatty, green).
-
Onion + ricetop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together10,433 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Cooked rice
- Forms the bulk of the dish and holds its shape when pressed into molds.
- Butter
- Softens the onions and adds richness and flavor to the rice.
- Mushrooms
- Add savory, earthy flavor and moisture to the rice.
- Green onions
- Add mild onion flavor and freshness when cooked in butter.
- Sherry
- Adds a subtle sweet-nutty aroma and depth of flavor.
The step that matters
Spoon into buttered custard cups, pressing to mold.. Pressing the rice firmly into the cups removes air gaps so it holds its shape when unmolded. Buttering the cups keeps the rice from sticking, so it releases cleanly.
Swap the almond
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (onion, butter, rice, pepper, sherry, mushroom):
- Sesamefits better
- Beansfits better
- Chestnutfits about as well
- Almondthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against onion, butter, rice, pepper, sherry, mushroom. 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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