Marinades and sauces

Good for jazzing up meat and fish!

Moroccan marinade for fish

1 red onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2tbsp chopped coriander
2tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 tsp ground sweet paprika
1/4 tsp ground chilli
3tbsp olive oil
2tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

*Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir well, or, for a more paste-like texture, process briefly in a food processor
Pour over fish, turning to coat well and marinade for at least 2 hours

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Salsa Verde

1 cup firmly packed fresh-leaf parlsey
1 cup firmly packed fresh mint leaves
2/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup capers, drained and rinsed
2tsp Dijon mustard
2tbsp lemon juice
8 anchovy fillets, drained
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped

*Put all the ingredients into a blender and process to a chunky paste
Transfer to a bowl or jug and whisk just before serving
The sauce is dense, green, pungent and goes well with fish and chicken
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Roasted tomato sauce

500g cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2tbsp olive oil
salt & freshly ground pepper
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1tbsp basil, torn
1tbsp chopped flat-leaf parlsey
1tbsp red wine vinegar
1tsp splenda (optional)
extra 3tbsp olive oil

*Place tomatoes in a bowl, add oil, salt, pepper and toss gently to coat. Cook on pre-heated BBQ or griddle pan for 2-3mins each side or until lightly charred. Mash or blend tomatoes with remaining ingredients, leaving sauce a little chunky. Serve at room temperature
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Piquant yoghurt sauce with horseradish

2tbsp mayonnaise
4tbsp Greek yoghurt
1tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2tbsp horseradish
2tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 clove of garlic, crushed
Salt and freshly ground pepper

*Put all the ingredients in a bowl and stir well to combine
A delicious and quick sauce for cold bbqd seafood, beef or burgers, keeps for 2-3 days in the fridge, covered.
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Spring-onion sauce

4 spring-onions, finely chopped
2tbsp red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
150ml extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup fresh chopped herbs (eg. basil, flat-leaf parsley, oregano)

*Combine the spring-onions with the vinegar and season generously with salt/pepper. Set aside for 10 mins to allow the flavours to blend. When ready to serve, add remaining ingredients and mix well. Serve drizzled over bbqd meat or veggies
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Ginger, chilli, lime and coriander butter

250g butter, room temperature
5cm piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped
small bunch of fresh coriander, finely chopped (leaves only)
3-4 fresh red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
1 clove garlic
4tbsp olive oil
1tbsp fish sauce
grated zest of 1 lime
juice of 2 limes

*Put all the ingredients an electric mixer and beat together until smooth.
Excellent with fish
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Saffron and capsicum butter

1tbsp white wine or sherry vinegar
Generous pinch of saffron threads
250g butter, room temperature
2tbsp roasted red capsicum strips
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2-3 drops tabasco sauce

*Heat the vinegar and steep the saffron in it for 5mins. Place in food processor with all the other ingredients and whiz until mixture is very smooth
Particularly good with grilled scallops and other bbqd seafood
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Lime pickle

10 limes, each cut into 6 segments
100g salt
1tbsp fenugreek seeds
1tbsp black mustard seeds
1tbsp chilli powder
1tbsp ground tumeric
300ml (1/2 pint) vegetable oil
1/2 tsp asafoetida (indian spice)

*Put the limes into a sterilized jar and cover with the salt.Dry-fry the fenugreek and mustard seeds in a small fry-pan then grind them to a powder. Add the ground seeds, chilli powder and tumeric to the limes and mix well.
Heat the oil in a small fry-pan util smoking, add the asafoetida and fry for 30 secs. Pour the oil over the limes and mix well.
Cover the jar with a clean cloth and leave to mature for 10 days in a bright, warm place. Transfer the pickle to a tightly sealed container and store up to 2 months.
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Aromatic confit salt

100g wet salt
1/2 cinnamon stick
2 garlic cloves
4 sprigs thyme
1 sprig rosemary
1/2 bay leaf
1 star anise
2 peppercorns
4 coriander seeds

*Place all the ingredients in a mortar, pound well until well crushed and aromatic. Salt will keep in fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.