What do you do with balsamic vinegar?

Question

My mum bought some because... well, I'm not really sure why, and she wants to know what to do with it.

She tried putting it in gravy, that didn't work too well, and she had it on fish and chips as well. There must be some better way to use it, or else why would it be so expensive?

We have stir frys and omlettes and things involving rice fairly often, would it work in that?

Answer 1

www.foodtv.com
Balsamic vinegar doesn't belong in gravy i just had to say that. ok Put it in a sauce pan w/ a little sugar and let it reduce and poor it over fresh fruit like strawberries and peaches. super yummy, or most people make a salad dressing and eat it that way i would assume it would work really well in stir fry's not so sure about omlettes though.
check out the food network website above i'm sure you'll find great ideas for it lots of italian resturants serve bread w/ dinner and have olive oil to dip w/ drops of balsamic in it pretty good that way but a little goes a long way.

Answer 2

Why on earth would she put vinegar in gravy?

Balsamic vinegar is good as a base for salad dressing or making meat marinades. Mix an equal amount of the vinegar with some oil and add herbs.

Answer 3

Go to www.epicurious.com and do a search. Its a wonderful vinegar once you get the hang of it. It's ideal for deglazing a pan and creating a sauce for chicken hat has been sauted. Wonderful in sauces, but a little goes a long way. It has a unique sweet taste. In summer it is wonderful in a caprese salad - sliced ripe tomatoes, fresh basil and fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese, balsamic drizzled on top.

Also great if you roast veggies such as asparagus, again drizzled over the top

Answer 4

I think of it more as a "sauce" (for various things) and in marinades, but it can also be used in vinaigrettes and other ways.


A few random things about it:

...the price you pay may well determine how tasty it is

...it's vinegar made from grapes (not vinegar made from wine which was made from grapes)

...heating it will make it even sweeter/ less acidic

...don't use with aluminum pots/pans/containers


Here are bunches of recipes, and more explanation about what it is and how to use it:
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLC,GGLC:1969-53,GGLC:en&q=%22balsamic+vinegar%22+recipes


Balsamic vinegar is also good with vegetables.
One of my favorite ways to use it is as a sauce on top of roasted asparagus (coated with olive oil & bit of salt before putting in the oven). When the asparagus is beginning to brown here and there under the broiler, take it out and serve with some "reduced" balsamic vinegar** drizzled on top (yum)... roasted carrots are another good one (veggies can also be sauted, instead of roasted... in that case just add the balsamic near the end of sauteing).


(**boil/simmer in a non-aluminum pot on the stove until thickened)


Diane B.

Answer 5

Best in salad dressings with a touch of fruit juice .... try it with orange juice, olive oil, s & p, some garlic if you like, and a little thyme ...

Personally, I do not care for it, but maybe in time I will. It is expensive because it is new on the market, compared to things like cider vinegar, white vinegar, rice vinegar, red and white wine vinegars.

Answer 6

4 parts olive oil 1 part balsamic vinegar salt pepper clove of garlic and maybe some honey makes a great dressing for a leaf salad

Answer 7

Balsamin vinegar is good on salads and they're great chicken balsamic glaze chicken recipes out there.
I also use it with olive oil to dip bread, and use it for my Bruscetta recipe-> chopped ripe vine tomatoes, minced garlic, red onion finely chopped, crushed basil, tossed in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It's awesome.
Slice bread warm up in oven with olive oil and top it with Bruschetta, you can even add a nice mozarella cheese.... yummmm

Answer 8

You can use it for tons of different things. Obviously it is used for Salad dressing, or else 300 people wouldn't have said that. You can also use it to marinate chicken breasts. My wife does that all the time. It gives it a nice zing. Also, you can mix it with olive oil, italian seasoning, and pepper to dip bread in. (I am not talking regular bread, it has to be french bread, or some other sort of specialty bread.

Answer 9

It is for salad dressing and is beautiful dribbled over sliced tomatoes, especially good if the balsamic vinegar is a good one - tip is the more you pay for it the better it is re flavour.

Answer 10

You use it in recipes that call for it. It is definitely NOT interchangeable with regular wine vinegar or cider vinegar. It is wonderful in salad dressing (balsamic vinaigrette), or drizzled over fresh mozarella cheese. (WHY would anyone ever put any kind of vinegar in GRAVY???)