Why it works: Milk and flour are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 14% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 78,219 recipes. Both carry isobutyraldehyde, which smells malty, green. The science ↓
Chile Relleno Casserole
4 squaresIngredients
Directions
Prepare
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Coat bottom and sides of 8-inch square glass baking pan with cooking spray.
Line bottom of pan with half of the green chile.
Sprinkle ½ cup of cheese on top.
Make the batter
Using electric mixer, beat egg whites with cream of tartar on high until stiff peaks form.
Set aside the beaten egg whites.
In a medium bowl, combine milk with flour, stirring until smooth. Add egg and blend well.
Fold the beaten egg whites into the flour/milk mixture until well combined. Do not beat.
Assemble and bake
Pour half of the egg white and flour mixture into the pan and spread evenly.
Place remaining chile on top and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Pour remaining egg white mixture on top and spread until evenly covered.
Bake in preheated oven until tops are golden brown and eggs are set and reach an internal temperature of at least 160°F (about 25 minutes).
Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes.
Cut into 4 squares.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 6 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Mozzarella Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 85 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Cream | 1 tbsp (15ml) heavy | 51 |
| 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.
-
Milk + flourtop 14% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together78,219 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Egg + flourtop 15% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together106,462 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Cream + milktop 18% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together29,399 recipes
Shared aroma: delta-dodecalactone (sweet, creamy).
-
Egg + milktop 18% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together88,785 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
-
Pepper + flourtop 19% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together50,459 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
Milk and flour barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 78,219 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Green chiles
- Provide the main flavor and structure of the layers, softening as the casserole bakes.
- Pepper jack or mozzarella cheese
- Melts through the layers, binding them and adding richness and savory flavor.
- Egg whites
- Whipped to stiff peaks, they trap air and give the casserole a light, puffed texture.
- Cream of tartar
- Stabilizes the whipped egg whites so they hold their peaks longer.
- All-purpose flour
- Mixed with milk to form a smooth base that thickens and holds the custard together.
- Egg
- Adds richness and helps the mixture set into a firm custard when baked.
The step that matters
Folding the beaten egg whites. Folding gently keeps the air bubbles in the whipped whites. Beating deflates them, which makes the casserole dense instead of light.
“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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