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Middle Eastern Inspired Marinade

ingredients:

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons sumac*
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon chili powder
3 tablespoons grenadine molasses**
salt & pepper to taste
meat - smallish beef or lamb steaks

instructions:

1. Mix olive oil, onion, sumac, lemon juice, chili powder, molasses and salt and pepper together, taste and add more pepper or salt, depending.

2. Put steaks into ziplock bag and pour marinade on top. Seal bag and marinate for at least one hour or as long as overnight.

3. Grill steaks until medium rare, tent for five minutes with foil, allowing meat to rest. Meanwhile, bring left over marinade to boil on stove and keep warm until meat has settled. Slice meat into thin pieces, pour marinade on top and serve.

* sumac is a reddish-brown spice that adds a tangy and aromatic flavor to foods.

** grenadine molasses adds zing to meat glazes, sauces, and soups; look for bottles of it in Middle Eastern markets or gourmet stores. 

Changes, hints, tips and thoughts for this recipe:

• this recipe could definitely have used chopped garlic in the marinade; that and fresh parsley...it would have deepened the taste, made it slightly more smoky and much more delicious.