Allyson Gofton - Amazing marinades

Marinating foods from tofu to seafood to meat easily adds excitement to uncomplicated foods, or adds layers of intrigue to more complicated dishes.
Marinating meat tenderises and adds flavour. A marinade needs three basic elements:

• Acid (vinegar, lemon juice) just a little to break down tough fibres.
• Flavourings (herbs, spices, sauces, etc), be careful with sweet flavourings like honey or palm sugar, dried herbs and spices as these can burn if cooked over too high a heat.
• Oil or fat to carry the flavourings of the marinade.

Allyson's Tip:
There’s no need to make a bath of marinade – that’s just wasteful.  And always allow time for a marinade to work.  Steaks, chops and thick fish fillets need about 20 minutes at room temperature, while roasts and casserole cuts benefit from 4 hours to overnight in the refrigerator

Recipe:
Devilled Marinade (pictured)
This is quite a 'sharp' marinade that gives beef, lamb or chicken a distincitve flavour. Quantity is sufficient to coat six pieces of meat.

Ingredients:
4 whole cloves
1 tblsp coriander seeds, toasted
½ onion, peeled and very finely chopped
1 tblsp prepared mustard
2 tblsp Worcestershire sauce
4 tblsp dry sherry


Method:

1. Grind together the whole cloves and coriander seeds in a pestle and mortar or in a coffee grinder.
   
   
2. Mix the ground spices with the mustard, Worcestershire sauce and sherry in a resealable bag.
   
   
3. Add your preferred meat, seal and toss well to coat. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours before cooking on a well-oiled barbecue.

Moroccan Citrus Marinade
This Mediterranean style marinade is ideal with: pork, chicken and fish. Sufficient to coat 6 pieces of meat or fish.

Ingredients:
3 tblsp ras el hanout
Grated rind and juice 1 orange
1 tsp minced garlic
¼ tsp salt
1 tblsp olive oil


Method:

1. In a resealable bag toss together the ras el hanout, orange rind and juice, salt and olive oil.
   
   
2. Add the meat or fish and toss well to cover. Refrigerate the meat for 2-3 hours before cooking, fish about 1 hour before cooking on a well-oiled barbecue.
   
   
   

Cooks Tips:
We used prepared Ras el Hanout from the Alexandra Find Food’s Bazaar Range, available at good food stores.