Why it works: Butter and milk are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 7% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 81,283 recipes. Both carry (z)-4-heptenal, which smells biscuit, cream. The science ↓
Cauliflower Au Gratin
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the cauliflower
Place cauliflower in a large kettle.
Fill the kettle with enough water to cover the cauliflower.
Add salt to the water.
Bring the water to a boil.
Drain the cauliflower.
Rinse the cauliflower with cold water.
Make the sauce
Melt butter or margarine in a saucepan.
Cook the butter over low heat, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened.
Assemble and bake
Add the cauliflower to a baking dish coated with vegetable cooking spray; add salt and pepper.
Cover the dish with cheese topping.
Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 7 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Vegetable | 1 tbsp (14g) | 120 |
| Cheese | 1 oz (28g) cheddar | 113 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| 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.
-
Butter + milktop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together81,283 recipes
Shared aroma: (z)-4-heptenal (biscuit, cream).
-
Butter + cheesetop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together7,962 recipes
Shared aroma: delta-dodecalactone (sweet, creamy).
-
Milk + cheesetop 10% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,426 recipes
Shared aroma: delta-dodecalactone (sweet, creamy).
-
Butter + flourtop 12% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together124,287 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Flour + milktop 14% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together78,219 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
Butter and flour barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 124,287 recipes: they 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
- Cauliflower (in the method)
- Forms the bulk of the dish and becomes tender when boiled and then baked.
- Butter or margarine
- Adds fat and richness and forms the base for the thickened sauce.
- Flour
- Thickens the melted butter so the sauce becomes slightly thick and clings to the cauliflower.
- American cheese
- Melts over the cauliflower, adding creamy texture and savory flavor.
The step that matters
Cook the butter and thickener over low heat while stirring constantly. Low heat with constant stirring keeps the mixture from scorching and helps starch granules swell evenly, so the sauce thickens smoothly without lumps.
“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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