Why it works: Ginger and clove match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 6,038 recipes. Both carry estragole, which smells anise, licorice. The science ↓
Bahamian Striped Bass
4 filletsIngredients
Directions
Marinate
Combine olive oil, garlic, lime juice, ginger, and scotch bonnet chile.
Place striped bass in a resealable bag and pour mixture over top.
Turn to coat and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Grill and serve
Preheat grill.
Remove fish from the marinate.
Season with salt and pepper and place over a medium hot fire for about 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until done.
Serve with lime wedges and hot sauce.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 7 of 8 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 7 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Lime | juice of 1 lime (44ml) | 11 |
| Chili | 1 tsp (2.7g) | 8 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Garlic | 1 clove (3g) | 4 |
| Ginger | 1 tsp grated fresh (2g) | 2 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Scotch | 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.
-
Ginger + clovetop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together6,038 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
-
Lime + gingertop 2% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,621 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Lime + peppertop 2% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together3,491 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Olive + garlictop 2% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together25,665 recipes
Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).
-
Clove + peppertop 5% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together17,451 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity, wine).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Striped bass
- Forms the main body of the dish, cooking to a flaky texture over the grill.
- Olive oil
- Carries the garlic, ginger and chile flavors and helps keep the fish moist.
- Lime juice
- Adds acidity that brightens the fish and begins to firm its surface during marinating.
- Ginger
- Adds a sharp, aromatic warmth that penetrates the fish during marinating.
- Garlic
- Contributes pungent aroma that mellows and deepens as it cooks on the grill.
- Scotch bonnet pepper
- Adds heat and fruity aroma to the marinade.
The step that matters
Grilling the fish until done. Fish cooks quickly and dries out past doneness, so checking it early keeps the flesh moist and flaky. Medium-hot heat cooks it through without scorching the marinade's garlic and sugars.
Swap the clove
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (olive, lime, ginger, garlic, pepper, sauce):
- Corianderfits better
- Cuminfits better
- Turmericfits better
- Clovethe original
Fit is the average pairing score against olive, lime, ginger, garlic, pepper, 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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