Why it works: Butter and mustard are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 22% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 8,003 recipes. Both carry guaiacol, which smells smoky, sweet. The science ↓
Mustard and Cress Sandwiches
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Cut off the crust from the loaf and slice it into very thin pieces.
Wash the mustard and cress thoroughly, then dry it by swinging it in a cloth.
Assemble and serve
Place a layer of dried mustard and cress on a slice of buttered bread and sprinkle lightly with salt.
Top with another slice of buttered bread and press together firmly.
Cut the sandwiches into finger-sized pieces, about 1 inch wide.
Arrange the sandwiches on a small linen doily on a plate.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
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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Butter + mustardtop 22% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together8,003 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Bread (in the method)
- Provides the structure that holds the filling together and the soft body of the sandwich.
- Butter
- Adds fat and richness, and creates a barrier so the bread does not soak up moisture from the cress.
- Mustard and cress
- Adds fresh, peppery flavour and a crisp, green texture to the filling.
The step that matters
Drying the mustard and cress. Any water left on the leaves will soften the bread and make the sandwich soggy. Drying thoroughly keeps the slices fresh and firm.
“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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