November started off with reminding us that winter is coming and I am not talking about Game of Thrones. We got lot's of bitter cold rain and even a little snow here in Boston this weekend but I won't even go there. I will say this, I AM NOT READY. Now on to the good stuff.
Ya tu te puede casar, translates to now you can get married. A saying my Dominican grandmother said anytime me or my sister were doing anything domestic (my mom would jokingly say it too but my grandmother was not joking! She was definitely from a different generation.)
I didn't cook for many boyfriends, it was definitely something I did for people I loved but whenever I did cook for a boyfriend I'd think of her and hear that saying in my head. lol
Let's call this one the 'Ya tu te Puede Casar' Marinade... Adapted from one of my mom's many incredible recipes.
I used the marinade for a roasted chicken I made for my cousin and his wife (they just moved back to MA with a second babe) and they both loved it!
I've also tried it on 6-hour crockpot chicken breast, turkey cutlets and last night on wings and they all came out finger licking good. But I can imagine that it would be pretty fabulous on veggies or even tofu (just in case you are reading Mike!).
Lately I have been doing it free hand so you really can't go wrong so tweak as necessary. Also, I used a mortar and pestle but you can use a food processor or blender, I would just add each ingredient separately until completely combined.
Ingredients
5 or 6 Peppercorns
1 tbsp. Dried Oregano
1 tbsp. cumin
5 or 6 garlic cloves (more or less depending on your liking)
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 tbsp. search
1 tbsp. agave or honey
1 tbsp. olive oil
Recipe
1. Start with garlic in the mortar and use pestle to make it paste like.
2. Add peppercorns and grind together.
3. Add paprika, cumin, and oregano until well combined.
4. Add rest of ingredients until completely combined.
I like to double or triple the recipe and keep in a tightly sealed mason jar for a few dishes through the week. Hoping you love this just as much as I do.
And a special thank you to my mami, who is my inspiration in the kitchen. Hoping to share a few more of her delicious recipes as we write them out. I am hoping I pass on this love of cooking to Zoe!
xo
Natalie