Why it works: Mustard and onion match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 6% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 9,259 recipes. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓
Ham and Corn Casserole
Ingredients
Directions
Make the white sauce
Make a white sauce by melting 3 Tbsp reduced‑calorie margarine, stirring in 3 Tbsp flour, and gradually whisking in 1 ½ cup skim milk.
Stir in ½ tsp dry mustard, ¼ tsp salt, ⅛ tsp pepper, and ¼ tsp worcestershire sauce, then add 1 (20 oz.) can whole kernel corn (drained), ¼ cup chopped onion, ¼ cup chopped green pepper, and 2 cups cubed lean cooked ham.
Assemble and bake
Pour the mixture into a non‑stick casserole dish.
Sprinkle 1 cup breadcrumbs and 1 cup grated low‑fat processed American cheese over the top.
Bake at 375 °F for 25 minutes or until bubbly.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 12 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Pork | 100g cooked | 242 |
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Cheese | 1 oz (28g) cheddar | 113 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Corn | 1/2 cup kernels (82g) | 77 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Bell Pepper | 1 medium (119g) | 31 |
| Soy Sauce | 1 tbsp (15ml) | 9 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Mustard | 1 tsp (5g) yellow | 3 |
| 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.
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Mustard + oniontop 6% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together9,259 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Mustard + peppertop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together15,430 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Milk + corntop 10% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together6,955 recipes
Shared aroma: hexanal (green, grassy).
-
Pepper + corntop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together5,324 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
-
Pepper + oniontop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together68,474 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Flour
- Thickens the milk and margarine into a white sauce that holds the casserole together.
- Skim milk
- Forms the liquid base of the sauce, giving moisture to the casserole.
- Cheese
- Melts into the top layer, adding richness and browning.
- Breadcrumbs
- Form a crisp, browned topping over the casserole.
- Ham
- Adds savory, meaty flavor and chew to the filling.
The step that matters
Whisking the milk into the flour mixture. Adding the milk gradually while whisking keeps lumps from forming, so the flour can hydrate evenly and the sauce thickens smoothly when heated.
Swap the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (flour, milk, mustard, pepper, sauce, corn, ham):
- Capsicumfits better
- Shallotfits better
- Okrafits better
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against flour, milk, mustard, pepper, sauce, corn, ham. 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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