It’s always an exciting day when the new issue of Food & Wine magazine arrives. Jon and I both flip through it, scouring the recipes for things we think we could actually make. This time, Jon landed on a marinade that we used for Grilled Chicken: Spicy Thai Marinade with Basil and Cilantro. Contrary to what most think, we don’t often make meals- like with sides and such. We make a dish and that’s all we eat. Since it’s usually just Jon and I, we don’t worry about balancing it out; we certainly don’t worry about making large amounts of food, because it’s just us. With this dish, though, Jon did choose some sides and they complemented the dish perfectly: Grilled Parsnips and Corn Fritters. He threw in the cucumber to cool down our mouths because the marinade is spicy.

Spicy Thai Marinade with Basil & Cilantro

• 1/4 cup basil leaves
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 8 peeled garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons smabal oelek or Asian chile sauce
• 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil