Why it works: Lemon and olive are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 7% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 11,922 recipes. Both carry 3-hexenal, which smells apple, fruity. The science ↓
Aubergine Salad
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Roast and blister the skins of the aubergines.
Peel and scoop the flesh into a food processor bowl with the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and yogurt.
Blend until smooth.
Serve
Garnish with black olives, sliced onion, sliced green pepper, sliced tomato, and chopped parsley.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 4 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Yogurt | 170g plain Greek | 100 |
| Lemon | juice of 1 lemon (48ml) | 12 |
| 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.
-
Lemon + olivetop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together11,922 recipes
Shared aroma: 3-hexenal (apple, fruity).
-
Olive + yogurttop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,920 recipes
Shared aroma: isoamyl acetate (banana, fruity).
-
Lemon + yogurttop 20% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,096 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-ol (mushroom, earthy).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Aubergines
- Provide the bulk of the salad and its smoky, soft, creamy base once roasted and blended.
- Lemon juice
- Adds acidity that brightens the flavor and balances the richness of the oil and yogurt.
- Olive oil
- Adds fat that makes the blended texture smooth and rich.
- Yogurt
- Adds tang and creaminess that helps give the blended salad a smooth, light body.
The step that matters
Blend until smooth. Blending the roasted flesh with oil and lemon juice thoroughly emulsifies the mixture into a smooth, cohesive texture. Stopping early leaves lumps and a looser, separated consistency.
Swap the lemon
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (olive, yogurt):
- Avocadofits better
- Mangofits better
- Cherryfits better
- Lemonthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against olive, yogurt. 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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