Orange-Cumin Marinade with Ginger and Pear

This is a marinade is actually a combination of two recipes: the Tumeric Sauce I used for a cooking demo, and the marinade recipe for Korean marinated beef (bulgogi) found at My Korean Kitchen. I marinated Four Mile River Farm top round at Fiddleheads, cooked as bulgogi (thin strips marinated and seared on a hot pan); my friend Mona poured it over beef brisket before putting into the oven.

It’s very good as a sauce in stir-fry recipes with vegetables, mushrooms, and/or tempeh, tofu, chicken or pork; similar to the tumeric sauce with veggies I posted previously, add to the wok or pan at the last couple of minutes, after the veggies have started to become tender but not limp. It can also be adapted for use as a salad dressing; try adding a bit more honey or mustard to thicken slightly.  Whichever oranges or citrus fruit you use, be sure to pick a sweet/tart and intensely flavored variety, such as a dark blood orange, or minneola tangerine.

Many thanks to Mona Harmon-Bowman for kindly transcribing the the recipe.

Juice from 2 medium or 1 large intensely-flavored orange, about 1 cup
3-4 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
4-5 tsps tamari
Dash white pepper, or to taste
1 Tbsp honey
1-2 Tbsp maple syrup  (or increase honey by same amount)
2 Tbsp sugar, preferably rapadura or raw sugar
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ground tumeric
1/2 - 1” grated ginger root
1/2 pear, shredded, or about 4 Tbsp
2 small or 1 large garlic cloves, minced
1 small shallot or white onion; or two scallions, finely chopped
Dash finely-ground sea salt and white pepper, or to taste
2 Tbsp - 1/4 cup sesame oil (see note)

Combine all ingredients above except sesame oil and whisk thoroughly (or shake in a covered jar) to emulsify; adjust seasonings as desired.

Note: If using for bulgogi (Korean marinated beef), add the sesame oil and whisk into other ingredients just before ready to cook the meat; then pour over thin strips of a lean beef, such as top round to marinate for about an hour or less.  Sear very quickly on both sides in a hot pan, (around 300-350 degrees on an electric frypan or grill), just until no pink is showing on surface. Interior should still be rare or medium-rare.