Why it works: Pepper and oregano match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 5% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 3,449 recipes. Both carry estragole, which smells anise, licorice. The science ↓
Harvest Frittata
Ingredients
Directions
Cook the vegetables
In a 10-inch non-stick skillet, combine vegetables, oregano and water.
Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender.
Add the eggs and finish
Thoroughly blend eggs and milk.
Pour over vegetables.
Cook over low heat until eggs are almost set.
Sprinkle with cheese.
Broil about 6 inches from heat until cheese is melted.
Cut into wedges and serve from pan or slide from pan onto serving platter.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 8 of 9 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 8 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Cheddar Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 113 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Corn | 1/2 cup kernels (82g) | 77 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Cucumber | 1/2 cup sliced (52g) | 16 |
| Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Oregano | 1 tsp dried (1.8g) | 5 |
| Water | not in our table | 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.
-
Pepper + oreganotop 5% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,449 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
-
Corn + oreganotop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together360 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
-
Corn + milktop 10% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together6,955 recipes
Shared aroma: hexanal (green, grassy).
-
Corn + peppertop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together5,324 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
-
Onion + oreganotop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,449 recipes
Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Eggs
- Set into a custardy structure that holds the vegetables together as the frittata cooks.
- Milk
- Adds moisture and softness to the eggs, keeping the frittata tender rather than dense.
- Zucchini
- Provides moisture and bulk; cooking it until crisp-tender keeps it from releasing excess water.
- Corn
- Adds natural sweetness and texture to the frittata.
- Cheddar cheese
- Melts into the set eggs, adding richness and browning under the broiler.
- Sweet red peppers
- Add mild sweetness and color along with the vegetables.
The step that matters
Cook over low heat until eggs are almost set. High heat sets the outside of the eggs before the centre, leaving them rubbery or scrambled-dry. Gentle heat coagulates the proteins evenly, and the residual heat finishes the set.
Swap the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (corn, pepper, oregano, egg, milk, cheddar cheese):
- Capsicumfits better
- Potatofits better
- Tomatofits better
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against corn, pepper, oregano, egg, milk, cheddar cheese. 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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