Balsamic Vinegar

cozmik

Can anyone recommend a good or great balsamic vinegar? I see there is a multitude of different ones available in Dublin, but it would get expensive pretty fast trying to find a winner.

antoniosicily

balsamic vinegar from modena, it's a protected denomination, probably Sheridan's has it

cozmik

antoniosicily wrote: »

balsamic vinegar from modena, it's a protected denomination, probably Sheridan's has it

Which brand do you favour?

I got amazing Balsamic the last time Lidl had an Italian week.

Minder

Belazu - I think you will have to part with 15 to 20 yoyos to get a bottle if you can find it. Thick, syrupy and with a huge depth of flavour.

faigs

I don't really know how to cook with it properly to appreciate the flavours, anyone got any tips or recipes? I know its great with red onion and tomato salad!

antoniosicily

faigs wrote: »

I don't really know how to cook with it properly to appreciate the flavours, anyone got any tips or recipes? I know its great with red onion and tomato salad!

What's the point of cooking with vinegar?

broin

... what's the point of cooking with vinegar? I don't even understand how that question could be asked. It's an ingredient.

You can use a splash in some pasta sauces, counterbalanced with brown sugar.

Reduce it and sprinkle on bruschetta.

Or reduce it and sprinkle on ice-cream. Or apple pie.

antoniosicily

broin wrote: »

... what's the point of cooking with vinegar? I don't even understand how that question could be asked. It's an ingredient.

You can use a splash in some pasta sauces, counterbalanced with brown sugar.

Reduce it and sprinkle on bruschetta.

Or reduce it and sprinkle on ice-cream. Or apple pie.

balsamic vinegar is already reduced, actually it's a reduction itself (not like the normal vinegar); it's the first time that I hear that vinegar is used to make a pasta sauce, but anyway...

broin

First time? Well, here's ~237 recipes involcing balsamic. Plenty involving pasta sauces and whatnot.

http://www.epicurious.com/tools/searchresults?search=balsamic&x=0&y=0

Reducing it further so you can use it as a syrup or glaze is also good. Sainsbury's sell it, so it must be ok.

Berbatov

You could try Jamie Olivers pepper and chilli chutney which uses balsamic vinegar to preserve the peppers and chillis. It should be on his website, if you want me to post the recipe let me know, it's fab

cozmik

broin wrote: »

... what's the point of cooking with vinegar? I don't even understand how that question could be asked. It's an ingredient.

In fairness, I think antoniosicily was talking about traditional balsamic vinegar in which there is only one ingredient grape must.

With a few exceptions, the main rule is to use it uncooked, adding it to dishes at the last moment in order to savour it to the full, without wasting any of its wealth of fragrances and tastes.

Source: Manicardi