skip to main content

Irreproducible marinade was SO good!

8 years ago

Isn't always the way? I made mini skewers of lamb shishkebab, and it was really good! But will never happen again. Sigh. The basics are easy. Bite sized lamb shoulder, well trimmed, red and green bell peppers, pearl onions (from the freezer...needing using up and held up better to skewering than fresh at still slightly frozen), cremini mushrooms and cherry tomatoes.

But the marinade. Vita-Mix (or similar) essential. The ingredients are easy to describe, but to obtain? I had some still pretty crisp cooked baby carrots and sliced onions, and too dry oyster mushrooms. Then two perfect large black plums (yellow flesh), tart but not sour, were sacrificed. Lemon juice, lite olive oil, S&P. Getting even the Vita-Mix to deal with it took a little doing. It kept trapping air that had to be released manually. Eventually, however, it became a smooth liquid that was almost a foam with lots of air as well. It had a lot of body, more like a pudding, but not enough oil to feel greasy. Carrot orange color. Not too sweet. Not too acidic. Caramelized well without scorching.

I mean, where would one get the plums?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

2ManyDiversions
8 years ago
Oh well that's nice plllog! Post about an un-reproducible marinade that was fabulous! LOL! OTOH, I'd be willing to give it a shot with plain mushrooms (no oyster mushrooms here), a couple of ripe plums and everything else mentioned... if I had a blender strong enough. One could cook it all a wee bit to make it soft and give it a shot in a non-vitamix I'd think : ) Of course, one would then need the lamb for the marinade. sigh...
plllog
Original Author
8 years ago
LOL! I'm sorry, 2Many. It's rare that big city wins.

I do think a similar kind of marinade can be made, which is why I posted. It's just that the same one is irreproducible except during the three weeks per year one can get perfect plums.

I think white mushrooms would substitute fine for the oyster mushrooms, but part of what made it work is that they'd gotten too dry in the cooking. Dehydrated or dried mushrooms (not mushroom powder which is mostly salt) would work fine, and you might be able to find a larger variety of tastier ones of dried.

The carrots and onions were half cooked. You could cook more. The real trick is getting it to liquify without adding too much oil and liquid. That's the Vita-Mix trick. I'm guessing you have a food processor? In the packed goods if not the temp kitchen? That would probably work better than a regular blender. Or maybe the FP down to sandy slush, and then a regular blender for the liquify? Unless you have a food mill? But I'm wondering if it would be worth it if you had to work that hard.

As to the plums, I've been thinking underripe honeydew or even a juicy tart apple (both widely available here during most of the year) might work. Different, but similar.

I have some left over. I've been thinking about what I can marinate in it. :) It was fab on the lamb, but I think it would be good on chicken, too, if I had one that was old enough to need marinating. I could get some at Trader Joe's. :)
Related Discussions
epic spicy garlic teriyaki marinade recipe
Q
Comments (19)
That looks like a good recipe to me and also does not look too sweet. I might eliminate the white and black pepper, however, and just use more chili. I have a lot of Habaneros in my yard to use. I would certainly use the fresh garlic, and I am okay with onion powder, which I use when I bake bread. I do not consider cumin a pastry spice either, although coriander could be used in pastry, as well as allspice and ginger. I would use fresh ginger instead of dried, since I do not keep dried ginger on hand and I keep fresh ginger in the freezer. It's easier to grate when it is frozen. How would you compare Peach Bhuts to Habaneros? How many Habaneros would you use in the recipe as a substitution? Lars
...See More
Who Knew 'Leftovers' Could Be So Good??
Q
Comments (11)
I love sashimi and sushi and found a wonderful recipe that layers the sushi in a dish, then is cut into squares for serving. Since no one I know is a sushi chef, I don't have to follow the time honored method of making those rolls, tediously. "Want it now"! The only problem is that I don't know which dashi it calls for in this recipe. It just says "dashi", so I leave it out, but would love to know which kind of dashi I should be using: katsuo (bonito flakes), kombu (kelp), or niboshi (dried anchovies or sardines). Or maybe using dried shrimp (ebi). That is easy enough to find in grocery stores in the Spanish/Mexican foods section, where the others warrant a trip to Whole Foods or Asian Market (30 miles either one). Perhaps someone here knows more about sushi-making and can help me out for an authentic flavor for this sushi? And, though I do not like hot spicy foods (karasugiru/picante), I adore wasabi. It bites then goes away, unlike habanero's that bite for hours. Go figure. Nancy Here is a link that might be useful: layered - not rolled - sushi recipe
...See More
Trying to find a fajita sauce/marinade
Q
Comments (8)
This is far from a traditional fajita, but it's quick and easy and we like it. Depending on the amount of chicken you use, mix BBQ sauce with honey and a squirt of lemon juice. I use a little less honey than BBQ sauce. So, if I am using 3/4 of a cup of BBQ, I'd use more than a half but less than 3/4 cup of honey. I don't measure the lemon juice but I'd guess around one tablespoon. Stir it all up, put in the boneless, skinless chicken breasts and grill. Just shred the meat or cut it in strips, and put it in a tortilla with all the fixings you prefer. I use Picante Sauce for the Mexican flavor. As I said, not traditional but good.
...See More
Evil Jessica's Lime Chipotle Marinade for Jasdip
Q
Comments (5)
I'm sorry I'm so late getting back to this, I've been out of state. I can it for 10 minutes in half pints, 15 minutes in pints, and in a boiling water bath. KatieC, our resident Master Canner, assured me it was fine to can with all that acidic lime juice. cookebook, the allspice is not at all noticeable. In fact, I usually leave it out! Annie
...See More
Olychick
8 years ago
Well, plums can be frozen without processing, so why not try freezing a few to try?
plllog thanked Olychick
plllog
Original Author
8 years ago
Hmm. Olychick, I never thought of that. I might try it if I lived where there's a dearth of fruit in the Winter or something. In this case, I think it would be just as easy to make a different marinade. It wouldn't be the same, but it might be really good too. :) I will definitely keep your tip in mind, however....

Related Stories

FEEL-GOOD HOME 8 Tips for Harmony in the Kitchen

By Laura Gaskill

Frustrated by the arguments that arise over kitchen duties? Check out these coping strategies

DECLUTTERING Foolproof Ways to Declutter Your Kitchen

If you find yourself fumbling through cupboards to find what you’re looking for, it’s time to take action with these simple steps

MOST POPULAR The 15 Most Popular Kitchen Storage Ideas on Houzz

By AWH Construction

Solve common kitchen dilemmas in style with custom and ready-made organizers, drawers, shelves and more

ENTERTAINING 8 Stress-Busting Tips for Hosting Small Gatherings

By Laura Gaskill

Make entertaining easy with these ideas for casual get-togethers

KITCHEN DESIGN World of Design: Favorite Recipes From Food Lovers Around the Globe

Travel with your tastebuds and experience for yourself these international foodies' favorite dishes

DECLUTTERING 6 More Clutter-Busting Home Habits to Adopt This Year

By Tailorly, Professional Home Organizing

Be decisive, don’t use the garage as your dumping ground and do rethink that sweater you never wear

KITCHEN DESIGN Love to Cook? We Want to See Your Kitchen

By Sheila Schmitz

Houzz Call: Show us a photo of your great home kitchen and tell us how you’ve made it work for you

EDIBLE GARDENS 12 Essential Herbs for Your Edible Garden

By Annie Thornton

Make home cooking and drinks even better with herbs plucked from your own backyard or windowsill pot

LIFE Late Again? Eliminate the Things Holding You Up in the Morning

By Emily Hutchinson

If you find yourself constantly running late for appointments, work and get-togethers, these tips could help

SUMMER GARDENING How to Grow Basil

By Marianne Lipanovich

Bright color, quick growth and endless uses for cooking make this summer annual a winner in the garden or a pot

Sponsored

More Discussions

Tonight’s stirfry and something NEW!

17

Be still my palate!

8

Planning a weird Thanksgiving

8

Apps and salt and huh? going into entertaining season

7

ACK!! Celery Attack!!!

26