Why it works: Nutmeg and cinnamon match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 11,917 recipes. Both carry estragole, which smells anise, licorice. The science ↓
Spiced Olives
Ingredients
Directions
Make the marinade
Heat the olive oil in a small pan and mix it with the spices for about 2 minutes.
Remove the mixture from the heat and add the olives; stir to coat them evenly.
Stir in the remaining ingredients before putting the mixture into a bowl; cover and refrigerate for 4 hours to 3 weeks.
Serve
Drain the olives before serving and serve at room temperature.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 11 of 13 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 11 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Orange | 1 medium (131g) | 62 |
| Fennel | 1/2 bulb (87g) | 27 |
| Nutmeg | 1 tsp ground (2.2g) | 12 |
| Lemon | juice of 1 lemon (48ml) | 12 |
| Cumin | 1 tsp ground (2.1g) | 8 |
| Chili | 1 tsp (2.7g) | 8 |
| Cardamom | 1 tsp ground (2g) | 6 |
| Cinnamon | 1 tsp ground (2.6g) | 6 |
| Olive | 1 large (4g) | 4 |
| Garlic | 1 clove (3g) | 4 |
| Seed | not in our table | 0 |
| Coriander | 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.
-
Nutmeg + cinnamontop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together11,917 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
-
Cumin + coriandertop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,866 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Cardamom + cinnamontop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,299 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Coriander + cardamomtop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together872 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Cardamom + nutmegtop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together249 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Green olives
- Form the main body of the dish and absorb the flavour of the spiced oil and citrus.
- Olive oil
- Carries the fat-soluble spice aromas into the olives and coats them evenly.
- Cumin seeds
- Provide warm, earthy aroma that deepens once gently heated in oil.
- Garlic cloves
- Add pungent aroma that mellows and spreads through the oil during chilling.
- Lemon juice
- Adds acidity that brightens the olives and balances the richness of the oil.
The step that matters
Warming the spices in oil. Gentle heating for about 2 minutes releases the fat-soluble aromas of whole seeds into the oil. Overheating can scorch the spices and leave a bitter taste, so keep the heat low and watch closely.
Swap the nutmeg
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (cumin, fennel, coriander, cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, olive):
- Turmericfits better
- Saffronfits better
- Oreganofits about as well
- Nutmegthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against cumin, fennel, coriander, cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, olive. 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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