Recipe(tried): The Only Marinade You'll Ever Need and Spicy Orange Marinade

THE ONLY MARINADE YOU'LL EVER NEED

"If I could use only one marinade for the rest of my life, it would be this one. Redolent with garlic, piquant with fresh lemon juice, and fragrant with extra virgin olive oil, it instantly transports you to the Mediterranean. I can't think of a single food that doesn't taste better bathed in it. You can use it as both a marinade and a basting sauce. If marinating poultry, meat, or seafood, simply set a portion aside for basting."

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea), or to taste
4 strips of lemon zest
3 cloves garlic, crushed with the side of a cleaver or minced
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil, cilantro, dill, oregano, or a mix of all four
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine the lemon juice, hot pepper flakes, cracked pepper, and salt in a nonreactive (glass, ceramic, or stainless steel) bowl and whisk until the salt crystals are dissolved. Add the lemon zest, garlic, parsley and basil. Stir or whisk in the olive oil.

The virtue of this marinade is its freshness: Use it within 1 to 2 hours of making. Stir again before using.

Makes 1 cup
Source: Barbecue! Bible Sauces, Rubs and Marinades by Steven Raichlen

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GRILLED BEEF BLADE STEAKS AND BELL PEPPERS WITH SPICY ORANGE MARINADE

6 (1-inch-thick) boneless beef blade steaks, pierced all over on both sides with a fork
2 large red bell peppers, quartered
the zest from 2 navel oranges, removed with a vegetable peeler
1 cup fresh orange juice
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large shallow dish arrange the blade steaks in one layer and add the bell peppers.

In a blender blend together the orange zest, the orange juice, the oil, the garlic, the soy sauce, the red pepper flakes, the vinegar, and the salt until the marinade is smooth.

Pour the marinade over the steaks and peppers, coating them thoroughly, and let the mixture marinate, covered and chilled, overnight.

Grill the steaks and the peppers, the marinade discarded, on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals for 8 minutes on each side for medium-rare steaks, transfer them to a platter, and let the steaks stand for 5 minutes.

Makes 6 servings
Source: Gourmet magazine, August 1992