Why it works: Pepper and dill match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 4% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,630 recipes. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓
Zucchini Salad I
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the zucchini
Wash and clean the zucchini, cut into pieces and set to boil in salt water.
After they soften, let drain and cool.
Squeeze dry and chop with a wooden chopper.
Dress and serve
Place in a bowl and beat with oil just like the eggplant salad.
Add finely chopped onion, pepper, salt, and a little vinegar.
Arrange on a plate and garnish with tomato slices and some chopped dill.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 7 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Dill | 5 sprigs fresh (1g) / 1 tsp dried | 4 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 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.
-
Pepper + dilltop 4% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,630 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Pepper + tomatotop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together17,923 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Tomato + dilltop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together511 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Onion + tomatotop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together20,633 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Vinegar + dilltop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together659 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Zucchini (in the method)
- Forms the bulk of the salad and is softened by boiling, giving it a tender texture.
- Oil
- Adds fat and richness, and coats the chopped zucchini for a smooth texture.
- Onion
- Adds sharpness and aroma that balances the mild zucchini.
- Vinegar
- Adds acidity that brightens the flavour of the salad.
The step that matters
Squeeze the zucchini dry. Zucchini holds a lot of water. If it is not squeezed well after boiling and cooling, the excess moisture thins the oil and vinegar dressing and makes the salad watery.
Swap the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (vinegar, pepper, tomato, dill):
- Capsicumfits better
- Cucumberfits better
- Mustardfits better
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against vinegar, pepper, tomato, dill. 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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