Ingredient Combinations That Just Dont Work for Your Palate

[Seven S]

I am curious, what flavors and ingredients dont seem to work together for you in the same dish... i understand most of us arent too fond of trout ice cream, but in general, what recipes have you seen or dishes you have tasted that didnt seem to work for you...

i also welcome any input on refuting anyone's theories... what i mean to say, if someone says "cream with chili peppers", i would like to see where other people have used these successfully...

for me, these two i have seen recently and they just dont cut it:

1) tomato sauce (marinara/pomodoro) with an added squeeze of lemon juice to be served with spaghetti (Giada De Laurentiis - Everyday Italian)... yes there were other ingredients in the sauce, but i just couldnt process tomato and lemon together

2) Sea Bass with wild mushrooms in white wine sauce.... the strong earthiness of the mushrooms overpowered the delicate taste of the fish... just didnt work, who knows, maybe some white button mushrooms may have since their taste is quite bland in comparison....

 

[lulu]

I don't much like chicken and tomato together it just doesn't do it for me, edible but I don't relish it, but what I HATE is tuna and tomato. For example tonno e pomedoro pasta. Yuk. I ate some recently "to be polite" when we were out, but I really remembered why I had started dismissing this combination. weirdly though I make a snack with sardines and tomato I love, so its tuna specific.

 

[Harborwitch]

Fois Gras creme brulee just doesn't make it for me. Pineapple in coleslaw just leaves me cold.

Of course I love chipotle tobasco mixed into chunky peanut butter with blackberrry jam on a sammi!

Oh, Lulu I agree fish and tomato just sounds wrong.

 

[Seven S]

I don't much like chicken and tomato together it just doesn't do it for me, edible but I don't relish it, but what I HATE is tuna and tomato. For example tonno e pomedoro pasta. Yuk. I ate some recently "to be polite" when we were out, but I really remembered why I had started dismissing this combination. weirdly though I make a snack with sardines and tomato I love, so its tuna specific.

yes, the tonno and pomodoro is well known, and i must say i prefer tuna in pasta "in bianco", that is, in some kind of olive oil and broth base without the added tomato... i have made a "Spaghetti al Tonno, Limone e Rucola" which simply uses the tuna, olive oil, a spritz of lemon juice and peel, and some fresh arugula/rocket wilted only by the heat of the tossed pasta and is awesome...
and the sardines i have seen packed in "Escabeche Tomatado", a tomato-vinegary canned preservation of spanish origin...

 

[Yakuta]

white sauce with any kind of red meat. The flavor of the sauce is too delicate to stand up to the meat texture.

Okra or something slimy (anchovies) in a soup. I know some people love gumbos but for me it does not work.

 

[Seven S]

white sauce with any kind of red meat. The flavor of the sauce is too delicate to stand up to the meat texture.

hi yakuta,
one instance where i have see this work well, where the white sauce is strong enough to complement the meat is with a blue cheese white sauce... the blue cheese is strong enough that it doesnt disappear... otherwise, i think you are quite correct

 

[BreezyCooking]

Cloves (ground or whole) in anything but sweet baked goods or hot drinks.

I just can't stomach them when they turn up in savory dishes.

 

[AllenOK]

1) tomato sauce (marinara/pomodoro) with an added squeeze of lemon juice to be served with spaghetti (Giada De Laurentiis - Everyday Italian)... yes there were other ingredients in the sauce, but i just couldnt process tomato and lemon together

2) Sea Bass with wild mushrooms in white wine sauce.... the strong earthiness of the mushrooms overpowered the delicate taste of the fish... just didnt work, who knows, maybe some white button mushrooms may have since their taste is quite bland in comparison....

I wonder if the lemon juice is supposed to act like salt? I know that if you give a dish a squeeze of lemon, you don't need as much salt.

Where I work, we do a mushroom-crusted sea bass. We grind up dried mushrooms, bread the sea bass, sear it, then bake it for service. I can't remember what the sauce is. I haven't tried it, personally, so I don't know what it's like.

I don't much like chicken and tomato together it just doesn't do it for me, edible but I don't relish it, but what I HATE is tuna and tomato. For example tonno e pomedoro pasta. Yuk. I ate some recently "to be polite" when we were out, but I really remembered why I had started dismissing this combination. weirdly though I make a snack with sardines and tomato I love, so its tuna specific.

Chicken Cacciatore was a mainstay in my diet when I was single, and I love Chicken Parmesan. I can't comment on the Tuna and Tomato, never tried that combo.

Fois Gras creme brulee just doesn't make it for me. Pineapple in coleslaw just leaves me cold.

Of course I love chipotle tobasco mixed into chunky peanut butter with blackberrry jam on a sammi!

Oh, Lulu I agree fish and tomato just sounds wrong.

Zuppa de Pesce? Manhatten Clam Chowder? Cocktail Shrimp?

white sauce with any kind of red meat. The flavor of the sauce is too delicate to stand up to the meat texture.

Okra or something slimy (anchovies) in a soup. I know some people love gumbos but for me it does not work.

I haven't made it in years, but Chicken-Fried Steak w/ country gravy is delicious! I agree with you on the Okra. I can't stand the stuff.

hi yakuta,
one instance where i have see this work well, where the white sauce is strong enough to complement the meat is with a blue cheese white sauce... the blue cheese is strong enough that it doesnt disappear... otherwise, i think you are quite correct

I would have to agree with the intent of this statement. Bleu Cheese is strong enough to stand up to the strength and texture of meat. Unfortunately, I can't stand it.

 

[Shunka]

Pineapple in cole slaw and cloves in anything savory? I am with you gals all the way on these!!!! I don't like raisins in cole slaw either. YUK!!!

 

[Robo410]

None of the above bother me except the pineapple in cole slaw. yuk! I don't have a sweet tooth for syruppy fruity stuff. Ham I like smokey and savory with a dijon glaze..No pineapple slices or raisin sauce for me. I don't care for my pork with apples either. Frankly I'm not partial to sweet cooked mushy fruit. I like it natural, chilled crisp bright. Don't muck it up for me, thanks.

on the other hand...okra, anchovies, fish with tomato, liver, kidneys...I love it! Pasta Putanesca...tomato, pancetta, anchovies, olives, basil, parsley, chili flakes...one of the best pasta sauces around...heaven!

 

[Gretchen]

Pork and apples a no no--now you gone to meddlin' as we say in the South. You need (or maybe not--it's your choice) to try my pork loin braised with apples and onions.

 

[Seven S]

Zuppa de Pesce? Manhatten Clam Chowder? Cocktail Shrimp?

I haven't made it in years, but Chicken-Fried Steak w/ country gravy is delicious!

good observations on the combos AllenMI !!! I agree that all the above are delicious!!!

Pasta Putanesca...tomato, pancetta, anchovies, olives, basil, parsley, chili flakes...one of the best pasta sauces around...heaven!

Love the "Spaghetti Alla Puttanesca" - add the capers and garlic to the list, however, there is no pancetta in that recipe... italian cuisine, in general, does not pair pork products in the same dish with their seafood, although in Spain, it is quite common

 

[urmaniac13]

Porcini mushrooms and tomato based sauce. It is not that it's gross or anything, I just don't think tomatoes are not the best thing to compliment the rich yet delicate flavour of porcini to the max. For example, when I use porcini on pizzas or in pasta sauces, they are much tastier with tomatofree variations.

 

[kitchenelf]

Cardamom and ANYTHING! I made this dessert one time - oranges, then a caramel sauce (brown sugar, something, something, and cardamom) - eeeeek it was nasty. I made it again without the cardamom and that's all it was. I guess it's like cilantro to some people - I JUST can't eat anything that contains it.

Mussels in a tomato-based sauce - it's just not quite right. A wine-based sauce is more palatable for me.

 

[Robo410]

good observations on the combos AllenMI !!! I agree that all the above are delicious!!!


Love the "Spaghetti Alla Puttanesca" - add the capers and garlic to the list, however, there is no pancetta in that recipe... italian cuisine, in general, does not pair pork products in the same dish with their seafood, although in Spain, it is quite common

While your observation is correct, garlic and capers yes, my very Neopolitan recipe does begin with pancetta. It is an authentic option. The anchovies are less a "fish" than a seasoning...a depth of flavor builder.

 

[Seven S]

While your observation is correct, garlic and capers yes, my very Neopolitan recipe does begin with pancetta. It is an authentic option. The anchovies are less a "fish" than a seasoning...a depth of flavor builder.

indeed Puttanesca sauce is of Neapolitan origins, where it is said the dish originated in the port area which was notorious for the ladies of the evenings, however, i beg to differ that the addition of pancetta is authentic. after your post, i searched numerous recipe sources in italian websites as i am part-italian and fluent in the language, and was unable to find any recipes which called for it. in the above statement you mention the anchovies as a "depth of flavor builder" which is quite an accurate assessment but so would the pancetta in your recipe. i accept the fact that we will agree to disagree.

 

[buckytom]

very often , the key to making good fish and/or shellfish with a tomato based sauce are the herbs, and the garlic, and the freshness/ripeness of the tomatoes.

shellfish and tomatoes almost require garlic and parsley. mussels especially.

fleshy fish are kinda bland unless they pick up char and smoke from a grill, but if you use a few fresh herbs and tomatoes, the tomato acts as the acid, similarly to using lemon to brighten up the flavors. one of my fave dishes is swordfish or monkfish, grilled, in a light, fresh, herby tomato sauce. almost a broth.

 

[Seven S]

shellfish and tomatoes almost require garlic and parsley. mussels especially.

i agree that seafood almost always calls for garlic, i find they pair excellently with or without tomatoes, although i will say that in most restaurants and homes, the garlic is overdone and totally overpowers the delicateness of seafood - it should be subtle

 

[Ishbel]

I can't bear cheeses and meats together - eg a chicken dish with melted cheese... Blech

 

[lulu]

well I know where you are coming from with the chicken....some pretty good restaurants have reduced themselves to ruining a good chicken breast witha piece of cheese that should never have been melted to create a completely "blech" plate. But I don't rule it out because I think the combination can work. And I have had some super blue cheese and beef combinations and, on a less complicated but no less satisfyong level, I like to make and eat cheeseburgers over plain ones any day! (PROPER cheese, and minced steak, not the ubiquitous chain!)