Why it works: Mustard and garlic match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 6% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 4,053 recipes. Both carry linalool, which smells floral, citrus. The science ↓
Mansion Dijon Salad Dressing
Ingredients
Directions
In a food processor, mix the sour cream, mustard, and eggs.
Add the oil in a thin stream.
Add the vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper.
It should be very thick.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 9 of 10 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 9 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Yogurt | 170g plain Greek | 100 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Soy Sauce | 1 tbsp (15ml) | 9 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Garlic | 1 clove (3g) | 4 |
| Mustard | 1 tsp (5g) yellow | 3 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Salad | 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.
-
Mustard + garlictop 6% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together4,053 recipes
Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).
-
Mustard + vinegartop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together14,067 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Garlic + peppertop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together27,090 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Mustard + peppertop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together15,430 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Cream + saucetop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,787 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Egg yolk and whole egg
- Emulsifies the oil into the mixture, giving the dressing its thick, creamy body.
- Dijon mustard
- Helps hold the oil and vinegar together in a stable emulsion and adds sharp flavor.
- Salad oil
- Provides the fat that, emulsified with the eggs, makes the dressing rich and thick.
- Red wine vinegar
- Adds acidity that brightens the dressing and balances the richness of the oil.
- Sour cream
- Adds moisture and tang, softening the texture of the dressing.
The step that matters
Add the oil in a thin stream. Oil added too quickly can overwhelm the egg and mustard, so the emulsion breaks and the dressing separates instead of thickening. Adding it slowly lets tiny droplets be dispersed and held in suspension.
Swap the garlic
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (cream, mustard, egg, red wine, vinegar, sauce, pepper):
- Tarragonfits better
- Capersfits better
- Celeryfits about as well
- Garlicthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against cream, mustard, egg, red wine, vinegar, sauce, 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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