Why it works: Lemon and pepper match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 3% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 27,047 recipes. Both carry trans-2-nonenal, which smells cardboard, fatty. The science ↓
Tuscan Catfish
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the fish
Preheat broiler.
Brush both sides of U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish fillets with lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place flat sides up on oiled broiler pan rack.
Broil and top
Broil about 4 inches from heat for 8 minutes.
Turn fillets.
In a small bowl, mix together cheese, margarine and mayonnaise.
Spread mixture over U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish.
Sprinkle with sun-dried tomatoes.
Broil an additional 7 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 7 of 8 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 7 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Parmesan Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 110 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Lemon | juice of 1 lemon (48ml) | 12 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Catfish | 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.
-
Lemon + peppertop 3% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together27,047 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-nonenal (cardboard, fatty).
-
Pepper + tomatotop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together17,923 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Parmesan cheese + buttertop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,163 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
-
Parmesan cheese + tomatotop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,490 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
-
Lemon + tomatotop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,592 recipes
Shared aroma: 3-hexenal (apple, fruity).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Catfish fillets
- Provide the main protein, which turns opaque and flaky as it cooks.
- Parmesan cheese
- Melts and browns on top, adding savory flavor and a golden crust.
- Mayonnaise
- Adds moisture and fat, helping the topping stay creamy and brown evenly.
- Butter or margarine
- Adds fat and richness to the topping, aiding browning and flavor.
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Add concentrated tomato flavor and acidity to the topping.
The step that matters
Broiling the topped fillets. Fish cooks quickly under a broiler and can dry out or overcook before the topping browns. Checking for a flake with a fork at the end of the time helps keep the fish moist and tender.
Swap the tomato
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (catfish, lemon, pepper, parmesan cheese, butter):
- Capsicumfits about as well
- Spinachfits about as well
- Tomatothe original
- Broccolifits about as well
Fit is the average pairing score against catfish, lemon, pepper, parmesan cheese, butter. 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.
You might also like
Tomato Soup526 recipes
Lemon Sauce236 recipes
Cream of Tomato Soup107 recipes
Macaroni and Cheese102 recipesThe free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.