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Latvian Salad

A salad of romaine lettuce, cucumber, tomato, olives, red onion, and marinated tofu in a vinaigrette.

From the Recipes Wiki (Fandom) · 16 ingredients
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Why it works: Basil and oregano match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,390 recipes. Both carry estragole, which smells anise, licorice. The science ↓

Latvian Salad

Timeseveral hours or overnight

Ingredients

Directions

Marinate the tofu

  1. Cut the tofu into 3/4 inch cubes, and place it in a wide, shallow ceramic or glass mixing bowl.

  2. Whisk together the ingredients for the marinate in a small measuring cup or mixing bowl.

  3. Pour the marinate over the tofu chunks, tossing them gently so that they are evenly coated.

  4. Cover and marinate in the fridge several hours or overnight.

Assemble and serve

  1. Just before serving prepare the salad ingredients and place them in a large mixing bowl.

  2. Add the tofu and marinate to the salad ingredients, and toss gently but thoroughly.

  3. Serve at once, with salt and pepper on the side to season as desired.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

317Calories
13 gProtein
20 gFat
29 gCarbs

Counts 14 of 15 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.

What these numbers assume: 14 portions
IngredientPortion assumedkcal
Olive Oil1 tbsp (14g)119
Tofu100g firm76
Red Onion1 medium (110g)44
Tomato1 medium (123g)22
Cucumber1/2 cup sliced (52g)16
Lemonjuice of 1 lemon (48ml)12
Black Pepper1 tsp ground (2.3g)6
Oregano1 tsp dried (1.8g)5
Romaine Lettuce1 cup shredded (36g)5
Garlic1 clove (3g)4
Olive1 large (4g)4
Vinegar1 tbsp (15ml) distilled3
Basil5 leaves fresh (2.5g)1
Salt1 tsp (6g)0
Saladnot in our table0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Recipes Wiki (Fandom).

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.

  1. Basil + oreganotop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together1,390 recipes

    Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).

  2. Lemon + basiltop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together1,823 recipes

    Shared aroma: 3-hexenal (apple, fruity).

  3. Oregano + garlictop 2% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together3,756 recipes

    Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).

  4. Olive + garlictop 2% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together25,665 recipes

    Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).

  5. Lemon + oreganotop 3% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together784 recipes

    Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).

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

What each ingredient does

Tofu
Firm tofu provides the substantial, meaty body that holds up to the marinade and tossing.
Red wine vinegar
Adds acidity that brightens the marinade and penetrates the tofu to season it.
Olive oil
Carries the dried herbs and garlic and adds fat for a smoother mouthfeel.
Romaine lettuce
Provides crisp, watery bulk that contrasts with the soft, marinated tofu.
Tomato
Adds juiciness and acidity that moisten and balance the salad.

The step that matters

Pressing and drying the tofu before marinating. Excess water in tofu dilutes the marinade and keeps it from absorbing well, so the cubes stay bland and watery. Patting or pressing the tofu dry lets the oil and vinegar penetrate and season it more evenly.

Swap the lemon

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (tofu, red wine, vinegar, olive, basil, oregano, garlic):

  1. Limefits about as well
  2. Lemonthe original
  3. Avocadofits about as well
  4. Plumfits about as well

Fit is the average pairing score against tofu, red wine, vinegar, olive, basil, oregano, garlic. 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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