by Jim Tarantino
from Marinades, Rubs, Brines, Cures & Glazes
(Ten Speed Press, 2006)
Makes 1 1/2 cups
This marinade just seems to have a Spanish thumbprint on it, and even more so with the almond variation. Some dry sherries have an almost nutty flavor to them. To play on that idea, I like to roll it around those actual flavors.—Jim Tarantino
convert Ingredients
1/2 cup dry sherry
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
Grated zest and juice of 2 lemons (about 1/3 cup)
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
1/4 cup hazelnut oil
1/4 cup sunflower or canola oil
1/4 cup peeled and roasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon cracked black peppercorns
1 teaspoon coarse-grain salt
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Directions
1. Combine the sherry, vinegar, lemon zest and juice, and shallots in a blender or a food processor and process until all the ingredients are blended.
2. While the motor is running, drizzle in the hazelnut and sunflower oils a little at a time. Add the hazelnuts, pepper, and salt and pulse just to mix.
3. Stored in a clean, airtight container. This will keep in the refrigerator for 1 week.
Timetable
Salmon steaks, or fillets, swordfish steaks or shrimp: 2 to 3 hours
Chicken breasts or kabobs, turkey breast, pork tenderloins, or pork chops: 3 to 4 hours
Beef filets, rib eye, beef kabobs, lamb kabobs, pork kabobs, or lamb rack or rib chops: 4 to 6 hours
Tip
To peel hazelnuts, combine 2 tablespoons baking soda with 2 quarts water in a saucepan and bring to a rolling boil. Blanch the hazelnuts for 5 minutes and drain in a colander. Run cold water over the nuts and peel. Toast the hazelnuts to a light brown color in a dry frying pan over medium heat.
Alternative
Replace the hazelnut oil with almond oil and the hazelnuts with blanched and toasted almond slivers.
Recipe © 2006 by Jim Tarantino. All rights reserved.
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[Brenda Carleton] Although I have Taratino’s book (and LOVE it), for some reason, I had not tried this recipe yet, although I had it marked. It smelled good even while I was making it. We grilled the chops, so the flavor of the char complemented the nuttiness of the marinade. I marinated bone-in pork chops in this marinade for six hours (the recipe recommends three to four hours, but our chops were fairly thick) but found that was not enough. While the flavor was nutty, it was almost too subtle. Not that I expect everything to wow with flavor, but I would have liked to taste the marinade itself more. Next time, I will marinate them overnight. I think that is all that would be needed. I would have liked more acidity from the sherry and sherry vinegar to come out in the meat. We plan to try this with grilled shrimp. I still gave it a TC because I feel it could be extremely tasty with longer marinating.