The Well-Dressed Salad
(Page 2 of 5)
May/June 1988
By Carol Taylor
Balsamic vinegar, a distinguished product of northern Italy, is made from grape must. By law, it must be aged for at least 10 years in a series of wooden kegs. A splendid, rich, red-brown, semisweet vinegar that can be sipped from a spoon, it deserves prominent shelf space.
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Herb vinegars are extremely popular, and while they're not new—the Romans drank vinegar and water flavored with mint leaves—they're certainly delicious. Their only drawback is that they predetermine which vinegar will be combined with which herb in tonight's salad, barring the staggering possibility of a personal herb-vinegars collection: red wine with tarragon, white wine with tarragon, white rice with chervil, etc. But if there is a particular type that you're especially fond of, by all means keep a bottle of it on hand.
Widely available, herb vinegars are also simple to make. The basic recipe can be varied at will.
Tarragon Vinegar
2 cups tightly packed fresh tarragon
2 cups white wine vinegar Extra sprigs of tarragon
Pack tarragon into a sterilized, dry, heatproof quart jar. In a stainless steel or enamel pan, heat vinegar to simmering and pour it over the tarragon. Let cool, then cover the jar and let stand at room temperature for 2 weeks. To store, strain vinegar off herbs and place in sterilized, dry bottles. Label, or add an herb sprig for identification. Cork or cap bottles tightly, and store in a cool place.
The recipe works equally well with other vinegars (red wine, rice) and with any number of herbs: basil, thyme, mint, dill, chives, oregano, rosemary and others.
Fruit vinegars, so prominent in nouvelle cuisine, are actually revivals. Early New Englanders were fond of "shrub," sweetened wild-raspberry vinegar added to cold water. Today's specialty shops carry raspberry vinegar, or you can brew your own.
Raspberry Vinegar
1 pint fresh raspberries, or frozen raspberries, thawed
1 quart white wine or rice wine vinegar
Crush raspberries and divide them between two dry, sterilized, heatproof jars. Heat vinegar to simmering, pour over fruit, cover, and let stand 2 weeks. Strain vinegar first through a sieve, then through cheesecloth or a coffee filter. Place in clean bottles and store. (If a sweet vinegar is desired, add 4-6 tablespoons sugar to the vinegar as it heats. Unsweetened vinegars provide more flexibility; sugar can always be added later to the finished product for a specific dish.)
Although raspberry is the best known, other fruit vinegars can be made in similar fashion: blackberry, blueberry, strawberry, red currant, even peach and plum.
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