Looking back at my ‘a spoonful of…’ series, I find myself astounded that I haven’t yet confronted one of my top 3 store cupboard ingredients – balsamic vinegar. I love the stuff. In fact, some may even say I’m a little heavy handed with it, but I just adore the acidic tang and the almost sour depth it brings to food.
I won’t pretend, however, to be a balsamic connoisseur. I know little of the different types, but in my own kitchen I own a bottle which cost little more than £2, which I use to enrich sauces and to drizzle atop dishes, plus a £12 bottle, which is used in a purer form for dipping bread or using over salad with olive oil.
A favourite way to use balsamic vinegar, is simply poured generously on poached eggs, avocado and sourdough. Finish with chilli and smoked paprika, and you’re laughing. One of the tastiest breakfasts that will keep you going all morning. Creamy, sharp and spicy, the basic combinations work so well together that I have never tired of this breakfast and I make it almost every weekend.
Other ways of using, could be simply adding into bolognese sauce, stews, and ragus to add another level of flavour. Trust me, you will notice the difference. For an extra special, but almost-no-effort-needed option, simmer balsamic down to make a sticky reduction and drizzle sparingly over bowls of creamy pasta for an impressive addition.
If you are making caramelised onions, add balsamic. It balances out the sweetness with some much needed acid to give a better rounded umami flavour. Cook off your onions slowly, add in brown sugar, and finally balsamic vinegar until they become sticky and the mouth-watering scent fills your kitchen.
For something a little different, make a strawberry-balsamic dipping sauce. This goes well with cheeses such as brie or camembert, or as a dessert over ice-cream. Cook off chopped strawberries with a little water, add a heaped teaspoon of sugar and allow them to reduced down. Add a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, wait for the mixture to become sticky and serve,
How do you use balsamic vinegar?
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