Easy Garlic & Herb Marinade

There is nothing this simple, punchy marinade can't do. Make it once and I guarantee it'll be a mainstay in your meal plan — no matter what's for dinner. With just the right balance of tart lemon and pungent garlic, this is a bold-flavored marinade that's versatile enough to pair with anything you're cooking, and it comes together in mere minutes.

While this marinade is a natural fit for mild-mannered chicken and pork, I especially love it with tofu, which has the chameleon-like ability to soak up any and all flavors it meets. Marinating for as little as 30 minutes will infuse it with good flavor, but it's even better if you can let it sit for a couple hours (or, better yet, overnight).

I also recommend cutting the block into cubes, triangles, strips, or however you plan to cook with it; the smaller the pieces, the more the marinade can really work into the tofu. All cooking methods — baked in the oven, seared in the stovetop, stir-fried, or grilled — are fair game for marinated tofu.

Why The Dried Herbs

Fresh herbs have the biggest, brightest impact when they're added to a dish just before serving or in the final minute of cooking. Add them too soon, and their flavor quickly gets muted and lost. That's why this recipe calls for dried herbs. Aside from being an easy and inexpensive pantry win, dried herbs add flavor to the marinade without fading.

We're all for fresh herb, but to get the most bang for your buck, save them for the finished dish where you can enjoy them at their best.

Easy Garlic & Herb Marinade for Tofu, Chicken, or Pork

Makes about 1/2 cup

• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Optional (pick one):
• 14 to 16 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained, cut, and pressed
• Up to 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• Up to 1 1/2 pounds pork chops
• Up to 1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin

Whisk the lemon juice, garlic, mustard, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper together in a medium bowl until well-combined. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until emulsified.

Add the tofu, chicken, or pork and gently toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Or store the marinade in the refrigerator until ready to use.

https://www.thekitchn.com/easy-garlic-herb-marinade-257173

Poolish and Master Pizza Dough Recipe

POOLISH PREPARATION AND INGREDIENTS

1. • 0.12 gram (one-third of 1/8 teaspoon) active dry yeast or 0.36 gram fresh yeast, broken into small pieces
   • 47 grams (3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon) cold tap water
   • 47 grams (1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) flour used in dough recip

1. Put the yeast in a small bowl, add the water, and whisk vigorously for 30 seconds. The mixture should bubble on top. If it doesn't and the yeast granules float, the yeast is "dead" and should be discarded. Begin again with a fresh amount of yeast and water.
2. Add the flour and stir well with a rubber spatula to combine. The consistency will be quite thick, resembling a thick pancake batter.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let sit at room temperature for 18 hours. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to cool slightly before using.
3. If you are not using the starter right away, you can store it in the refrigerator, though I suggest keeping it for no more than 8 hours. Bring to cool room temperature before using.

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Master dough and INGREDIENTS

1. • 2.2 grams (3/4 teaspoon) active dry yeast
   • 70 grams (1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon) warm water (80°F to 85°F)
   • 453 grams flour (3 1/2 cups) with 13 to 14 percent protein, preferably All Trumps, Pendleton Flour Mills Power, Giusto's High Performer, King Arthur Sir Lancelot Unbleached Hi-Gluten, or Tony's California Artisan Flour
   • 10 grams (1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon) diastatic malt
   • 210 grams (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) ice water, plus more as needed
   • 90 grams Poolish or Tiga
   • 10 grams (2 teaspoons) fine sea salt
   • 5 grams (1 teaspoon) extra virgin olive oil

1. 1. Put the yeast in a small bowl, add the warm water, and whisk vigorously for 30 seconds. The yeast should dissolve in the water and the mixture should foam. If it doesn't and the yeast granules float, the yeast is "dead" and should be discarded. Begin again with a fresh amount of yeast and water.
   2. Combine the flour and malt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook.
   3. With the mixer running on the lowest speed, pour in most of the icewater, reserving about 2 tablespoons, followed by the yeast-water mixture. Pour the reserved water into the yeast bowl, swirl it around to dislodge any bits of yeast stuck to the bowl, and add to the mixer. Mix for about 15 seconds, stop the mixer, and add the poolish or tiga.
   4. Continue to mix the dough at the lowest speed for about 1 minute, until most of the dough comes together around the hook. Stop the mixer. Use your fingers to pull away any dough clinging to the hook, and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a bowl scraper or rubber spatula. Check the bottom of the bowl for any unincorporated flour. Turn the dough over and press it into the bottom of the bowl to pick up any stray pieces. If the dough isn't holding together, add small amounts of water (about 1/2 teaspoon to start) and mix until the dough is no longer dry and holds together.
   5. Add the salt and mix on the lowest speed for 1 minute to combine.
   6. Stop the mixer, pull the dough off the hook, and add the oil. Mix the dough for 1 to 2 minutes, stopping the mixer from time to time to pull the dough off the hook and scrape down the sides of the bowl, until all of the oil is absorbed. The dough won't look completely smooth.
   7. Use a bowl scraper to transfer the dough to an unfloured work surface, then knead it for 2 to 3 minutes, until smooth. Cover the dough with a damp dish towel and let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes. Use the dough cutter to loosen the dough and to cut it in half. Weigh the dough, adjusting the quantity as necessary to give you two 13-ounce pieces. Form each piece into a ball. Any remaining dough can be discarded.
   8. Form the dough into balls. Set the balls on a half sheet pan, spacing them about 3 inches apart. Or, if you will be baking the balls on different days, place each ball on a quarter sheet pan. Wrap the pan(s) airtight with a double layer of plastic wrap, sealing the wrap well under the pan(s). Put the pan(s) in a level spot in the refrigerator and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours.

Smoky Spiked Tahini Sauce

1/2 cup tahini
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ – 2/3 cup water (or more for a thinner sauce, if desired)
1/4 tsp (lightly rounded) smoked paprika (see note)
¼ tsp (rounded) sea salt (about 1/4 + 1/8 tsp)
3/4 – 1 1/4 tsp pure maple syrup or agave nectar (or more to taste, see note)

Using a standing blender or an immersion blender and deep cup or jar, puree all the ingredients (starting with 1⁄2 cup of the water, 1⁄4 teaspoon of the paprika, and 3⁄4 teaspoon of the agave) until smooth. Add additional paprika and salt to taste; maple syrup to balance any bitterness, if needed; and water to thin, as desired.

Ingredients 411: I like the amount of smoked paprika at just a lightly rounded 1⁄4 teaspoon, but you can try adding more if you love the flavor. Try 1⁄2 teaspoon and see how it works for you.  I always like a touch of sweetener in tahini sauce to offset the slight bitterness of the tahini. The amount you use depends on personal preference and also the brand of tahini used. Start with 1⁄2 to 3⁄4 teaspoon, and add more if needed.