Georgian-Inspired Marinades

There’s a particular pleasure in opening the fridge and remembering that dinner is already soaking up something good.

Chicken coated in chilli and garlic. Lamb with herbs and spice. A tray of vegetables waiting for a hot oven and a few charred edges.

A Georgian-inspired marinade is an easy way to bring adjika and Georgian seasonings into meals you already cook. The paste does much of the seasoning for you; oil helps spread it across the food, while yoghurt or a little acidity changes the character of the mixture.

The three combinations below are ideas for the home kitchen, drawing on Georgian ingredients. They aren’t intended as traditional recipes for mtsvadi or any other named Georgian dish.

They are, however, very good reasons to get dinner started a little earlier.

What makes adjika useful in a marinade?

Adjika combines several ingredients you might otherwise add separately: chilli, garlic, salt, herbs and spices.

That makes it useful when you want a well-seasoned coating without pulling half the cupboard onto the worktop.

Because it is concentrated, begin with less than you think you need. Different pastes vary in heat and salt, and the right quantity depends on your taste.

Mix and taste the marinade before adding raw meat. You can adjust it freely at that point.

1. Red Adjika marinade for chicken or pork

This is a straightforward, savoury marinade for chicken thighs, pork steaks or skewers. The lemon gives it a little brightness without taking over.

Ingredients

Enough for 500–750g meat:

• 1–2 teaspoons Red Adjika.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil.

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice.

• ½ teaspoon honey, optional.

Method

Mix everything together in a bowl. Start with 1 teaspoon adjika, taste, then add more if you’d like a stronger marinade.

Add the meat and turn it until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 12 hours, within its use-by date.

Roast, grill or barbecue until cooked appropriately for the cut. Start with a moderate heat if using honey: it can catch before the meat is ready.

Serve with roast potatoes, a cucumber salad and plenty of fresh herbs.

A useful variation: replace Red Adjika with Walnut Adjika for a richer, earthier coating.

2. Green Adjika and yoghurt marinade

Thick yoghurt makes a coating that clings well to chicken. Green Adjika brings chilli, garlic and herbs, while lemon zest adds fragrance.

Ingredients

Enough for 500–750g chicken:

• 100g plain thick yoghurt.

• 1–2 teaspoons Green Adjika.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil.

• Finely grated zest of ½ lemon.

Method

Combine the yoghurt, 1 teaspoon adjika, oil and lemon zest. Taste and add the remaining adjika if wanted.

Coat the chicken, cover and refrigerate for 2–12 hours, within its use-by date.

Before cooking, lift the pieces out and let excess marinade fall away. You want a coating rather than thick clumps, which can burn on a grill.

Cook the chicken through, then serve with flatbreads, sliced cucumber and a fresh bowl of plain yoghurt.

You can also use this mixture on cauliflower florets. Give them 20–30 minutes in the marinade before roasting, keeping everything separate from any raw chicken.

3. Khmeli Suneli marinade for vegetables or lamb

This mixture puts the aromatic Georgian spice blend at the centre. A little adjika is optional if you’d like chilli alongside it.

Ingredients

Enough for 500–750g vegetables or lamb:

• 2 teaspoons Khmeli Suneli.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil.

• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar.

• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated.

• ½ teaspoon adjika, optional.

• Salt, to taste.

Method

Mix the ingredients together. If using adjika, taste before adding salt.

For vegetables, toss to coat and leave for 20–30 minutes. Try chunky courgettes, peppers, aubergines or mushrooms. Roast or grill until tender and browned.

For lamb, coat the pieces, cover and refrigerate for 1–4 hours before cooking appropriately for the cut.

Serve with a sharp salad and bread to catch the juices. Roasted onions are especially good alongside the lamb.

How long should you marinate?

More time doesn’t always mean a better result.

Small pieces take on seasoning quickly, while long exposure to acidic mixtures can affect texture. These are useful starting points:

• Chicken: 30 minutes to overnight, depending on the mixture.

• Pork: 30 minutes to 12 hours.

• Lamb: 1–4 hours for the mixture above.

• Vegetables: 20–30 minutes is usually plenty.

Keep raw meat covered in the fridge throughout marinating and stay within its use-by date.

Fish needs a gentler approach. If trying an adjika coating, use a little paste mixed with oil, apply shortly before cooking and squeeze lemon over afterwards.

Getting a good finish

Let excess marinade drip off before the food goes into the pan or onto the grill. Too much wet coating can stop the surface browning properly.

Keep an eye on garlic, herbs and honey around fierce heat. Move food to a cooler part of the barbecue or lower the heat if the coating is darkening too quickly.

Reserve any sauce for serving before it touches raw meat. Discard the used marinade, and use clean utensils for the cooked food.

A marinade will season dinner, but the cooking still needs your attention. Give everything enough space, let the edges brown and bring it to the table while it’s hot.

Find adjika pastes and Georgian seasonings in our shop. Decide what’s for dinner, stir a few things together, and let the fridge do its part.