Recipes with Easy and Delicious Marinades

Marinating meats has been a practiced technique spanning back to times in the Iberian Peninsula.  It was a method of preserving meat, especially during hot months that shortened the amount of time that meat could stay fresh.  Fresh animal meat was submerged in a mixture of spices and vinegar, and then left to marinade.  The paprika and vinegar are vital ingredients for protecting the meat, as the capsaicin in the paprika and the acetic acid in the vinegar are powerful antibacterial agents (vinegar is even more powerful than alcohol).  This technique not only preserved the meat, but it also created a new dimension for flavored marinades that is still highly appreciated today by countries that adopted these techniques.  Today, however, the original purpose has been lost a bit, as we’ve created new systems, such as refrigeration, throughout the world.

This preservation technique didn’t stay there, however; it spread throughout Asian and American countries and Spain and Portugal occupied for some time.  During the process, each country adopted these recipes and made its own modifications using other peppers with large amounts of capsaicin.  They could also use different amounts and flavors of vinegar, but the red tint that marinades leave is an unmistakable footprint left behind whenever marinades are used in any of these dishes.

Fish Marinade

Ingredients:

• ½ kilo sea bass fillets
• 2 ancho peppers
• 1 Tbsp. paprika
• 1 c. white vinegar
• 2 cloves of garlic
• ½ tsp. oregano
• ½ onion, thinly diced
• 1 tomato, diced
• Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Soak the peppers in vinegar for about three hours or until they have softened.  Afterwards, process the peppers with the garlic, paprika, oregano, and salt to taste.
2. Using a sealable bag, marinate the fish with the pepper and vinegar sauce, and allow to steep for eight hours, or overnight.
3. In a frying pan, add a bit of oil and fry the onions and tomato.
4. Add the marinated fish and cook until completely done.  Serve while hot, accompanied by white rice and steamed vegetables.

Pork Ribs and Leg in Marinated Cubes

Ingredients:

• 400 grams pork leg
• 400 grams pork ribs (the rib is important because of the fat it provides while cooking the meat)
• 10 cambray potatoes
• 4 ancho peppers
• 4 guajillo peppers
• 1 clove of garlic
• ¼ tsp. oregano
• 1/3 c. vinegar

Directions:

1. Cook the cambray potatoes in a bit of water until softened.
2. Cut the pork into medium sized cubes.  You can ask the butcher to do this with the ribs.  Then place the pieces in a pot full of water, covering the meat, then add salt.
3. Cook over high heat until the water is completely evaporated.
4. While the meat is cooking, clean the peppers and remove the insides.  Cover the peppers with water and vinegar in a pot, cooking until softened.
5. Blend the peppers with the liquid they were cooked in, then add the garlic and oregano.
6. Once the water on the meat has evaporated, pace the meat and the potatoes in a frying pan with a bit of oil.  Cook until lightly golden, then pour the sauce over top.  Cook until the sauce slightly thickens.
7. Serve accompanied with Mexican rice and a salad.

Deviled Shrimp

Ingredients:

• 500 grams shrimp, with the shell
• 3 guajillo peppers
• 2 marinated chipotle peppers
• 2 tomatoes
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1/3 c. vinegar
• ½ purple onion
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. paprika
• Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Clean and remove the seeds from the guajillo peppers.  In a pot, cover the peppers with water and vinegar.  Cook until softened. 
2. Blend the peppers along with the juice they were cooked in.  Add the tomato, the chipotle peppers, paprika and sugar.
3. Clean the shrimp, removing the head and intestines.  Leave the shell on their tails.
4. In a bowl, mix the shrimp with the sauce and marinate for at least four hours in the fridge.
5. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, and once ready, sauté the garlic and onion.  Once finished, add the shrimp, and cook completely.
6. Serve accompanied by white rice and mashed potatoes.

(1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)

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