Stop Blogging and Cook

DAILY POST JUNE 16th:  WHAT’S IN YOUR MARINADE?

GLUTEN-FREE & (VEGETARIAN ALTERNATIVE)

S H O P

MARINADE

GROCERY
Olive oil
Fennel seed
Celery seed OR celery leaves
Thyme
Whole black pepper
Kosher or sea salt

GREEN MARKET
Onion or shallot
Garlic or garlic scape
Lemon
Celery leaves OR celery seed
Parsley

VEGETABLES – Choose from these to cook in the marinade:

• Asparagus – whole
• Bell pepper (yellow, orange, red, green) – thick slices
• Broccoli – med size florets w/1″ of stalk & thick sliced stalk
• Carrot – thick slices
• Celery – thick slices
• Green beans – whole
• Pearl onions – whole
• Summer (yellow) squash – thick slices
• Zucchini – thick slices

VEGETABLES – Choose from these to will go into the marinade raw:

• Grape or cherry tomatoes, whole
• Green onions, whole
• Mushrooms, whole

T I M I N G

MAKES 2 c marinade, enough for 4 – 6 c vegetables
PREPARATION TIME:  10 min
COOKING TIME:  Marinade – 10 min; vegetables – 1 to 3 minutes, depending upon their firmness
MARINADE TIME:  Will keep in the refrigerator for 5 days
REFRIGERATOR TIME:  Until cooled

C O O K  /  P R E P A R E

INGREDIENTS
2 c chicken stock OR filtered water
1/4 c olive oil
1/3 c lemon juice
1/8 tsp kosher or sea salt
1 tsp thyme
Put into a large spice infuser:

• 1 green onion or 1 large shallot, chopped
• 1 clove garlic or 3″ garlic scape, chopped
• Few sprigs parsley
• 1/8 tsp celery seed OR few celery leaves
• 1/8 tsp fennel seed
• 1 whole black peppercorn

COOKING/PREPARATION

1. Bring marinade ingredients to a boil.  Simmer 10 min.  Remove spice infuser or, if you haven’t a spice infuser, strain marinade.  If strained, you might want to add a little more thyme at this point.
2. Simmer vegetables in marinade, each separately, for 1 – 3 min, until brightly colored & still firm.
3. Remove with slotted spoon to covered dish & cool; cool marinade separately.
4. Add raw vegetables to cooked & cover with cooled marinade.  Refrigerate if not serving immediately.

S E R V E

Take out of the refrigerator at least an hour ahead of serving so it can come up to room temperature allow the olive oil to melt into the marinade.  To speed this, remove the vegetables to a bowl and, when they get up to room temperature, add them back to the marinade.  This will keep for about a week refrigerated.  Serve as a salad or vegetable for lunch or dinner, or as a snack anytime.  Marinade can also be used as a very light salad dressing.

W O R K P L A C E   L U N C H

Perfect.