The Only Marinade You'll Ever Need recipe

This marinade goes great with everything — poultry, seafood, veal, pork, lamb and vegetables.

The larger the piece of meat, the longer you should marinate it. If marinating poultry, meat or seafood, simply set a portion aside for basting. DO NOT use the same marinade in which you marinated the meat to baste the meat as it is cooking. Always use a fresh batch or some that you have set aside for that purpose.

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, or to taste
4 strips lemon zest
3 garlic cloves, crushed or minced
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil, cilantro,
    dill, oregano, or mix of all four
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine lemon juice, hot pepper flakes, cracked pepper and salt in nonreactive (glass, ceramic or stainless steel) bowl and whisk until salt is dissolved. Add lemon zest, garlic, parsley and basil. Stir or whisk in olive oil.

Use this marinade within 1 to 2 hours of making. Stir again before using.

Makes 1 cup or 4 servings.

Per 1/4-cup serving: 250 calories; 27.1 g fat (3.7 g saturated fat; 98 percent calories from fat); 2.9 g carbohydrates; 0 mg cholesterol; 195 mg sodium; 0.4 g protein; 0.6 g fiber