Why it works: Mustard and vinegar are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 7% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 14,067 recipes. Both carry isobutyraldehyde, which smells malty, green. The science ↓
Fish Salad
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the fish
Boil a small whitefish, trout, or pike until tender.
Chop the fish finely.
Add the same quantity of chopped celery.
Dress and garnish
Moisten with three teaspoonfuls of melted butter, one teaspoonful of olive oil, one teaspoonful of mustard, two teaspoonfuls of pepper, one teaspoonful of salt, two teaspoonfuls of sugar, five teaspoonfuls of cream, and enough vinegar to make the right consistency.
Garnish with celery tops.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 5 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Mustard | 1 tsp (5g) yellow | 3 |
| 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.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures. See the original page.
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.
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Mustard + vinegartop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together14,067 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Mustard + peppertop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together15,430 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Pepper + vinegartop 14% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together27,814 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
-
Butter + peppertop 21% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together85,593 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-nonenal (cardboard, fatty).
-
Butter + mustardtop 22% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together8,003 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Fish (in the method)
- Provides the main body and flaky texture of the salad.
- Butter
- Adds richness and moisture that coats the flaked fish.
- Mustard
- Adds sharp flavour that cuts through the richness of the dressing.
- Vinegar
- Adds acidity that brightens the salad and balances the fat.
- Celery (in the method)
- Adds crisp texture and fresh flavour to the fish.
The step that matters
Adding the vinegar. Vinegar is acidic, so a small amount brightens the dressing, but too much makes the salad sour and thins it. Add it gradually and taste as you go.
Swap the mustard
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (butter, pepper, vinegar):
- Capsicumfits better
- Mustardthe original
- Cabbagefits less well
- Onionfits less well
Fit is the average pairing score against butter, pepper, vinegar. 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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