Why it works: Celery and carrot match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 10,173 recipes. Both carry myristicin, which smells spice, warm. The science ↓
Ham Hock and Lima Bean Soup
Ingredients
Directions
Simmer the ham
Cover ham hocks with water, add onions and garlic, and simmer until tender (about 2 hours).
Add celery and carrots for the last hour of cooking.
Remove ham from pot and let cool until it can be handled.
Finish the soup
Remove skin and bones from the ham and cut the meat into bite-size pieces.
Return the ham to the pot and add the drained lima beans.
Cook uncovered for about an hour.
Taste and add salt if needed.
Ensure the mixture has a thick soup consistency.
Add water to thin or mash beans to thicken.
Serve hot in individual bowls with hot cornbread.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 8 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Pork | 100g cooked | 242 |
| Lima Bean | 1/2 cup (85g) cooked | 108 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Carrot | 1 medium (61g) | 25 |
| Clove | 1 tsp ground (2g) | 7 |
| Celery | 1 stalk (40g) | 6 |
| Garlic | 1 clove (3g) | 4 |
| 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.
-
Celery + carrottop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together10,173 recipes
Shared aroma: myristicin (spice, warm).
-
Garlic + oniontop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together29,058 recipes
Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).
-
Clove + carrottop 5% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together5,873 recipes
Shared aroma: cuminaldehyde (Spicy, cumin).
-
Onion + carrottop 6% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together21,601 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Clove + celerytop 6% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together4,668 recipes
Shared aroma: gamma-decalactone (peach, creamy).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Ham hocks
- Release savory flavor and collagen into the broth, giving body and richness to the soup.
- Lima beans
- Break down partly when mashed, thickening the soup and adding creamy texture.
- Onions
- Add sweetness and aroma as they soften into the broth.
- Carrots
- Add natural sweetness and color while softening in the simmering liquid.
- Celery
- Adds aromatic depth and a mild vegetal flavor to the broth.
The step that matters
Mashing or thinning the beans to set the consistency. Starch from cooked lima beans thickens the liquid as it breaks down, so mashing some beans gives a thick soup. Adding too much water thins it, while overcooking can make the beans fall apart unevenly.
Swap the lima beans
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (ham, garlic, clove, onion, celery, carrot):
- Lentilsfits better
- Chickpeafits better
- Beansfits better
- Lima beansthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against ham, garlic, clove, onion, celery, carrot. 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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