Name: The Only Marinade You'll Ever Need
Yield: Makes 1 cup
Ingredients: 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice; 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes; 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea), or to taste; 4 strips of lemon zest; 3 cloves garlic, crushed with the side of a cleaver or minced; 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley; 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil, cilantro, dill, oregano, or a mix of all four; 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

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If I could use only one marinade for the rest of my life, it would be this one. Redolent with garlic, piquant with fresh lemon juice, and fragrant with extra virgin olive oil, it instantly transports you to the Mediterranean. I can't think of a single food that doesn't taste better bathed in it. You can use it as both a marinade and a basting sauce. If marinating poultry, meat, or seafood, simply set a portion aside for basting.

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