1.       mar·i·nade/ˌmarəˈnād/

Noun:
A sauce made of oil, vinegar, spices, herbs, etc., in which     meat, fish, or other food is soaked before cooking to flavor or soften it.

 

As barbeque season approaches, great marinades and grilling go hand-in-hand and should play an integral role in your menu planning. With that said, the perfect marinade should be as simple as it is delicious. As well as intensifying flavor and increasing tenderness, the acids used in creating a marinade can transform your dish. Incorporating the right acids, which can be anything from citrus juices, vinegar, wine or beer, has a series of benefits.

For starters, the power of acids kick-start your cooking process and cut down your cooking time. It should also be noted that these acids break down the proteins in meats and fish making it easier for you to digest.

The use of marinades provides a better and more tender result from a tougher cut by letting the acids do the work for you. These acids also protect food’s surfaces from harmful reactions such as HCAs (chemicals formed while cooking meat at high temps) while grilling. This is especially important due to the high heat temperatures grills produce.

Increase flavor, tenderness, and impress your dinner guests with the help of some great marinades this Thursday April 12 with our ‘Sauces and Marinades’ class at Nella Cucina. Sign up online at www.nellacucina.ca

Menu includes:

  • Spring Vegetable Bagna Cauda
  • Pickled Shrimp and Corn Salad
  • Vodka Marinated Steak with Dill New Potatoes
  • Orange Caramel Flan

Check out the recipe below and make sure to try our Ceviche with Sicilian Orange and lemon salad from last season’s “Sauces and Marinades’ class  courtesy of Chef Angie McRae:

Ceviche

 

Serves 6

Ingredients

500g salmon fillets, skinned

500g sole fillets, skinned

A few scallops (optional)

1 shallot, very finely chopped

Zest of 1 lime, juice of 3-4 limes about 150ml cup

50ml white wine vinegar

Salt and pepper

Flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Big handfuls of arugula

Orange and lemon salad (see recipe following)

Extra virgin olive oil

Method:

  1. Cut the skinned fish roughly into slivers 1cm wide and put inot a      bowl with the sliced scallops (if using), shallot, lime zest and lime      juice, vinegar, salt and pepper.
  2. Place in fridge, stirring from time to time to distribute all the      acid with the fish.
  3. Drain well and mix in the parsley and pile into a shallow dish.

Make your orange and lemon salad.

Sicilian orange and lemon salad

For 8 people

Ingredients

4 oranges (blood oranges are lovely)

2 lemons

2 grapefruits

2 bunches of watercress

For the dressing:

Juice of 1 lime

4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Sprigs of mint

Salt and pepper

Method:

  1. Peel the oranges, lemons and grapefruits with a sharp serrated      knife, removing all the white pith.
  2. Cut out each segment from between the membranes and put into a      ceramic bowl while you make the dressing.
  3. Whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, mint, salt and pepper,      and pour it over the fruit.
  4. Put a couple bunches of watercress in a separate bowl. Dress with      the orange salad just before you serve and top with ceviche.