The Key Component to Any Marinade

aday — Tue, 14 Jan 2020 17:02:58 +0000

The Key Component to Any Marinade aday Tue, 01/14/2020 - 12:02 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/marinade%20header.jpg.webp?itok=rlXex83Z Whatever the recipe, marinades always call for balsamic. January 16, 2020

By Richard LaMarita — Chef-Instructor, Health-Supportive Culinary Arts

Health-Supportive Culinary Arts Chef-Instructor Rich LaMarita incorporates Balsamic Vinegar of Modena into three recipes for marinades that are complex with depth of flavor, acidity and an element of sweetness.

Marinades tenderize and preserve protein, add a rich component to grain dishes and provide layers of flavor with vegetables. Timing and aging are important factors to consider, and Chef Rich demonstrates how to approach marinating three dishes in the video and recipes below.

Marinated Skirt Steak

Yields 6 servings

2 pounds skirt steak
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon shoyu
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 lemon, in wedges
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Rub garlic on the steak. Place steak in a dish with olive oil, balsamic, Dijon, shoyu and lemon juice. Let steak sit in marinade for 3–4 hours. Prepare a grill.
Season steaks with salt. Grill steaks on high heat to desired doneness, internal temperature should be 125 F, about 2–3 minutes per side for rare.
Let steaks stand on cutting board for 5 minutes. Cut steaks on angle, against the grain, into 1/4-inch slices.

Sweet-Sour Marinade for Vegetables

Yields 6-8 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup pineapple juice, reduced to 1/8 cup
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon tamari
3 portobello mushrooms, gills removed
2 red onions, quartered
3 red peppers, halved and seeded
3 zucchini, cut 1/2-inch on diagonal
2 eggplant, sliced 1/2-inch on diagonal
2 tablespoons Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena

Directions

Prepare a grill. Combine marinade ingredients in a bowl. Mix well.
Toss vegetables in marinade and let them sit for a few minutes only.
Take vegetables from marinade and season with salt and pepper. Grill until vegetables are done but still retain some crisp.
Drizzle veggies with aged balsamic.

Three Grains with Garlic Balsamic Marinade

Yields 4-6 servings

Ingredients

7 roasted garlic cloves
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (1)
1/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar of Modena
2 tablespoons red onion
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
1/2 cup bulgur
1/2 cup quinoa
1/2 cup millet
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (2)
3 cups water
1 cup fava beans
2 red bell peppers
3 celery stalks, chopped
1/2 cup currants
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon fresh dill

Directions

In a blender, combine garlic and olive oil (1) with balsamic, red onion, mustard and sugar. Blend for a few seconds. Set aside.
Saute the grains briefly in olive oil (2). Cook in water until absorbed. While the grains are still warm, combine with the garlic balsamic vinaigrette. Set aside to cool.
Blanch the fava beans. Mix the fava beans, peppers, celery, currants, parsley, thyme and dill. Toss with the grains.

Learn more about Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, and study with Chef Rich in Health-Supportive Culinary Arts.

Ingredient Exploration Recipe Video ICE Instructors Partners

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How an Ayurvedic Diet Can Benefit Your Yoga Practice

msarill — Wed, 12 Jun 2019 23:15:54 +0000

How an Ayurvedic Diet Can Benefit Your Yoga Practice msarill Wed, 06/12/2019 - 19:15 /sites/default/files/styles/width_1400/public/content/blog-article/header-image/1%20ayurveda%20header.jpg.webp?itok=BdJVtpGh Chef Rich LaMarita has practiced and taught about Ayurveda for more than 35 years. June 27, 2019

By Richard LaMarita — Chef-Instructor, Health-Supportive Culinary Arts

Ayurveda and yoga are sister sciences and practices, both originating from the Vedic culture in ancient India. The practice of one enhances the other.

The word “yoga” translates to union. Yoga is a practice that brings union or balance to the body, primarily through the postures that we are familiar with in yoga classes. Yoga also brings balance to the mind and body. After the practice of yoga, we feel more integrated, more coherent, clearer, stronger and healthier. What is going on? It is as if we are doing inner exercise, moving blood internally to nourish the internal organs and systems of the body. When we do a set of postures, the whole body is affected, which in turn calms and integrates the mind. A calm mind and healthy, energetic body reflects a settled and expanded state of consciousness, and this is the basis of successful and efficient action and happiness in life.

We know that food also affects our moods and general health. Ayurveda has taught us that by balancing our diet we can maintain balance in our body, in our physical functioning. According to Ayurveda, it is essential to eat daily from all the six tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, astringent and pungent. Each taste performs a unique energy efficiency upon the body that is vital for body functioning.

In a nutshell, sweet taste is the building block of bodily tissue; it is found in energy-giving foods such as grains, fruits, sweeteners and animal protein. Sour taste strengthens digestion and our microbiome; it is primarily found in fermented foods. Salty taste is an essential macronutrient that balances and maintains our body fluids. Bitter is medicinal and a natural antibiotic. This is the lesson in eating your bitter greens. Astringent, which we find in legumes and vegetables, are drying, contracting and healing. We have known about the benefits of a plant-based diet for some time now. Pungent is the fuel for the body, increasing metabolism, improving circulation and allowing for waste material to discharge from the body more effectively. This is the power of spices and herbs in our diet. In Ayurveda, it should be understood, that pungent does not refer to heat. Strive to get all these tastes everyday.

Eating a well-balanced diet, according to the Ayurvedic principles, naturally brings balance to the mind and body and will only make your yoga practice more effective and in tune with the goal of yoga, which is union, health, wholeness – all really one concept.

Nutritive Elixir

Yields 8 cups

8 cups cashew milk
9 medjool dates
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
7 threads saffron
2 teaspoons honey

In a blender, blend cashew milk with dates.
Transfer milk to pot and add cardamom and saffron. Simmer for a few minutes until the saffron dissolves. Add honey, to taste.

Cashew Milk

Yields 4 cups

Ingredients

3 cups water
1 1/2 cups raw cashews

Directions

In a pot, bring water to boil and pour over cashews. Let the cashews sit for 20–30 minutes.
Put cashew and water in a Vitamix and process thoroughly until liquefied.

Learn more about Ayurveda and health-supportive cooking in ICE's Health-Supportive Culinary Arts career program or a recreational class with Chef Rich.

Health-Supportive Culinary Arts Cooking Recipe