Moroccan Blood Orange Salad

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.

1. Oregano + cumintop 1% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together983 recipes

   Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).

2. Cumin + lettucetop 5% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together218 recipes

   Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).

3. Olive + lettucetop 5% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together2,580 recipes

   Shared aroma: trans-2-hexenal (green, leafy).

4. Olive + oreganotop 5% of all pairs
   Smell alikestrong
   Cooked together3,443 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2-hexenal (green, leafy).

5. Olive + cumintop 6% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together4,853 recipes

   Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Blood oranges

Provide the main fruit body, sweetness and a tart juice that flavours the dressing.

Wine vinegar

Adds acidity that brightens the citrus and balances its sweetness.

Olive oil

Adds fat that carries the herb and spice flavours and gives a smooth mouthfeel.

Green olives

Add a briny, savoury note that contrasts with the sweet citrus.

Green onion

Adds a sharp, fresh allium bite that cuts through the sweetness.

The step that matters

Swap the orange

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (onion, olive, wine, vinegar, oregano, cumin, lettuce):

1. Avocadofits better
2. Limefits better
3. Cherryfits better
4. Orangethe original

Fit is the average pairing score against onion, olive, wine, vinegar, oregano, cumin, lettuce. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.