Why it works: Tomato and olive are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 15,539 recipes. Both carry 3-hexenal, which smells apple, fruity. The science ↓
Mechouia
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Grill the peppers, tomatoes and onions in a hot oven at approximately 400°F, turning once during the process until soft. Remove from oven and cool.
Remove the seeds from the peppers. Dice all of the cooked vegetables into small pieces. Place the vegetables on a flat serving platter. Stir in gently the lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Top and serve
Spread the tuna and hard-boiled eggs over the top.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 11 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Salmon | 100g cooked | 208 |
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Feta Cheese | 1 oz (28g) cheddar | 113 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Lemon | juice of 1 lemon (48ml) | 12 |
| Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Oregano | 1 tsp dried (1.8g) | 5 |
| 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.
-
Tomato + olivetop 1% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together15,539 recipes
Shared aroma: 3-hexenal (apple, fruity).
-
Tomato + oreganotop 2% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,767 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-hexenal (green, leafy).
-
Lemon + oreganotop 3% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together784 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Pepper + lemontop 3% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together27,047 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-nonenal (cardboard, fatty).
-
Olive + oreganotop 5% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,443 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-hexenal (green, leafy).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Sweet red peppers
- Their flesh softens and sweetens when roasted, forming the body of the salad.
- Tomatoes
- They supply moisture and acidity that blend with the dressing into the vegetable base.
- Onions
- Cooking softens and mellows their sharp flavour, adding sweetness and depth.
- Olive oil
- Adds fat and carries the flavours of the lemon, oregano and vegetables.
- Lemon juice
- Provides acidity that brightens the cooked vegetables and balances the oil.
- Tuna
- Adds savoury, rich protein flavour and a firmer texture on top of the vegetables.
The step that matters
Grilling the vegetables until soft. Cooking until fully soft lets the skins loosen and the sugars caramelise, which gives sweetness and a smooth texture. Undercooked vegetables stay firm and taste raw and sharp in the salad.
Swap the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (pepper, tomato, lemon, olive, oregano, feta cheese, egg):
- Capsicumfits better
- Eggplantfits better
- Spinachfits better
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against pepper, tomato, lemon, olive, oregano, feta cheese, 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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