Why it works: Leek and lemon match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 8% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 162 recipes. Both carry 1-octen-3-ol, which smells mushroom, earthy. The science ↓
Leek Salad
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare and cook
Cut leeks into 5‑7 cm pieces.
Cook them in salted boiling water until tender but still whole.
Dress and chill
Mix some lemon juice and a little salad oil and pour over the vegetable.
Let cool a few hours in the fridge.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 5 of 7 ingredients. The other 2 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 5 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Lemon | juice of 1 lemon (48ml) | 12 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
| Salad | 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.
-
Leek + lemontop 8% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together162 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-ol (mushroom, earthy).
-
Lemon + eggtop 19% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together44,316 recipes
Shared aroma: (e,e)-2,4-decadienal (fatty, deep fried).
-
Leek + eggtop 23% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together294 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-ol (mushroom, earthy).
Lemon and egg barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 44,316 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Leeks
- Form the body of the salad, softening into tender pieces when cooked in boiling water.
- Lemon juice
- Adds acidity that brightens the flavour of the leeks.
- Salad oil
- Coats the leeks and carries flavour, adding richness to the dressing.
The step that matters
Cook the leeks until tender but still whole. Heat softens the fibres of the leeks, and cooking time decides the texture. Overcooking breaks the pieces down into mush, while undercooking leaves them tough and fibrous.
Swap the leek
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (lemon, egg):
- Asparagusfits better
- Spinachfits better
- Shallotfits about as well
- Leekthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against lemon, egg. 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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