Why it works: Corn and pepper are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 11% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 5,324 recipes. Both carry 2-nonenal, which smells fatty, green. The science ↓
Corn Pie
Ingredients
Directions
Make the filling
Melt butter in a pan and add flour, stirring to avoid lumps.
Add milk, stirring gradually to avoid lumps, then add grated cheese.
Add corn and sugar, then add onion.
Add egg last to hold ingredients together.
Bake
Bake in oven at 50 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 9 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Cheese | 1 oz (28g) cheddar | 113 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Corn | 1/2 cup kernels (82g) | 77 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
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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Corn + peppertop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together5,324 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
-
Onion + peppertop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together68,474 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Sugar + evaporated milktop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together804 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
-
Corn + oniontop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,205 recipes
Shared aroma: hexanal (green, grassy).
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Flour + corntop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together6,165 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Flour
- Thickens the butter and milk mixture and gives the pie body and structure.
- Egg
- Binds the ingredients together and sets as the pie bakes.
- Evaporated milk
- Adds moisture and creaminess to the filling.
- Anchor cheese
- Adds rich flavor and a creamy, melting texture to the filling.
- Butter
- Adds fat and richness, and forms the base with the flour for thickening.
The step that matters
Add the milk gradually. Flour starch must be hydrated evenly to thicken smoothly. Adding the milk slowly while stirring lets the starch granules disperse, which prevents lumps from forming in the sauce.
Swap the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (sugar, flour, cheese, corn, evaporated milk, egg, pepper):
- Capsicumfits better
- Sweet potatofits better
- Mustardfits better
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against sugar, flour, cheese, corn, evaporated milk, egg, pepper. 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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