Why it works: Dill and lemon match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 976 recipes. Both carry beta-phellandrene, which smells minty, terpene. The science ↓
Shrimp Salad
Ingredients
Directions
Make the salad
Combine the first seven ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Whisk the remaining ingredients together to make a dressing, then mix the dressing with the other ingredients.
Chill
Marinate in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to blend flavors.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 11 of 12 ingredients. The other 1 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 |
| Shrimp | 100g cooked | 99 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Lemon | juice of 1 lemon (48ml) | 12 |
| Soy Sauce | 1 tbsp (15ml) | 9 |
| Chili | 1 tsp (2.7g) | 8 |
| Celery | 1 stalk (40g) | 6 |
| Olive | 1 large (4g) | 4 |
| Dill | 5 sprigs fresh (1g) / 1 tsp dried | 4 |
| Mustard | 1 tsp (5g) yellow | 3 |
| Macaroni | 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.
-
Dill + lemontop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together976 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Celery + dilltop 3% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together382 recipes
Shared aroma: myristicin (spice, warm).
-
Celery + lemontop 3% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,467 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Onion + celerytop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together18,518 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
-
Olive + lemontop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together11,922 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
- Elbow macaroni
- Provides the bulk and starchy body of the salad.
- Shrimp
- Supplies the main protein and mild seafood flavor.
- Hard boiled eggs
- Add soft, creamy texture and richness.
- Mayo
- Adds fat and moisture, creating a creamy, emulsified dressing.
- Dill pickles
- Contribute acidity and a crisp bite that cuts the richness.
- Dijon mustard
- Adds sharp tang and helps emulsify the dressing.
Swap the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (shrimp, egg, celery, olive, dill, lemon, sauce):
- Mustardfits better
- Asparagusfits better
- Capsicumfits better
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against shrimp, egg, celery, olive, dill, lemon, sauce. 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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