Caper Sauce for Fish

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.

1. Capers + anchovytop 8% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together473 recipes

   Shared aroma: 2-methylbutyraldehyde (malty, chocolate).

2. Capers + peppertop 12% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together2,088 recipes

   Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).

3. Butter + anchovytop 13% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together3,697 recipes

   Shared aroma: decanal (soap, orange peel).

4. Vinegar + peppertop 14% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together27,814 recipes

   Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).

5. Capers + buttertop 16% of all pairs
   Smell alikemoderate
   Cooked together1,637 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

Capers

Provide a sharp, briny flavour that cuts through the rich butter.

Melted butter

Forms the rich, fluid base that carries the other flavours.

Vinegar

Adds acidity that brightens the buttery sauce.

Essence of anchovy, mushroom, or walnut ketchup

Contributes concentrated savoury depth and umami.

The step that matters

Swap the capers

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (vinegar, butter, anchovy, pepper):

1. Parsleyfits better
2. Tarragonfits about as well
3. Thymefits about as well
4. Capersthe original

Fit is the average pairing score against vinegar, butter, anchovy, pepper. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.