Savory kefir recipes
Kefir Lemon Fish Marinade
Lemon zest and parsley give firm fish a fresh, fragrant coating. Keep this marinade brief and cold, then cook the fish: lemon juice does not make raw fish safe to eat.
Make it
Method
- Whisk the kefir with the listed seasonings in a clean bowl.
- Put the fish in a lidded container, add the marinade, and turn each piece gently until every surface is coated.
- Refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the fish before the surface begins to soften.
- Heat the oven to 200°C. Lift the fish out, let excess marinade drip off and place on a lightly oiled baking tray. Discard used marinade. Bake until the thickest part reaches 63°C, checking from about 10 minutes; thickness changes the time.
A short soak for lemon and herbs
Kefir spreads the lemon, parsley, and salt over the fish in one thin coating. The short contact time seasons the surface without asking acidity to do more than it can.
Keep the fish cold
Marinate at 4°C or below, keep raw-fish utensils away from ready-to-eat food, and discard used marinade. Cook the fish to 63°C in the centre; the acid is seasoning, not a substitute for cooking.
Choose an unsweetened base
An unsweetened plain soy kefir can coat the food in a similar way, but it brings a different flavor. Do not use sweetened plant kefir.
If the fish surface softens
Acid and a long soak can contribute to a soft surface. Use the shorter time for thin pieces and cook promptly after marinating. Do not use marinating to rescue fish with signs of spoilage; texture is not a safety test.