Why it works: Mustard and cucumber match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 3% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 2,281 recipes. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓
Spicy Herring Potato Salad
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Cut the herring fillets into 1 cm pieces.
Make the dressing
Stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream and mustard.
Add the syrup and lemon juice.
Combine and serve
Add the potato slices, herring and red onion.
Combine carefully with a spoon.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 8 of 10 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 8 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Potato | 1 medium (173g) baked | 161 |
| Yogurt | 170g plain Greek | 100 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Red Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Cucumber | 1/2 cup sliced (52g) | 16 |
| Lemon | juice of 1 lemon (48ml) | 12 |
| Mustard | 1 tsp (5g) yellow | 3 |
| Herring | not in our table | 0 |
| Syrup | 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 + cucumbertop 3% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together2,281 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Potato + oniontop 3% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together9,023 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Onion + mustardtop 6% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together9,259 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Potato + mustardtop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,340 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Onion + cucumbertop 8% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together6,050 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Herring fillets
- Provide the main savory, salty flavour and the chunky texture of the salad.
- Potatoes
- Form the bulk of the salad and absorb the dressing, adding soft body.
- Mayonnaise
- Adds richness and fat, carrying the dressing and coating the other ingredients.
- Sour cream
- Adds tang and creaminess, balancing the richness of the mayonnaise.
- Coarsely grained mustard
- Adds sharp, pungent flavour that cuts through the fatty dressing.
- Red onions
- Add sharp bite and aroma that contrasts with the fish and potato.
The step that matters
Combine carefully with a spoon. Potato slices break apart easily when stirred hard, and the herring pieces can shred into the dressing. Gentle folding keeps the salad intact and the texture pleasant.
Swap the lemon
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (potato, onion, cream, mustard, syrup, cucumber):
- Avocadofits better
- Limefits better
- Cherryfits better
- Lemonthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against potato, onion, cream, mustard, syrup, cucumber. 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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