Balsamic vinegar

Balsamic vinegar is a dark, sweet and tangy vinegar from the Modena and Reggio Emilia area of northern Italy. It is made from grape must, which is crushed grape juice with the skins and seeds, cooked down and aged in wooden barrels. The result is less sharp than wine vinegar and has a fruity, slightly caramel taste.

How to use it

• In a vinaigrette, use 1 part balsamic to 3 parts olive oil with salt and a little mustard.
• Drizzle aged balsamic over strawberries, ripe tomatoes, grilled vegetables or shavings of Parmesan.
• Add a splash at the end of a tomato sauce or stew to brighten it.
• Reduce it in a small pan over low heat until it coats a spoon to make a glaze. 250 ml (1 cup) cooks down to about 80 ml (⅓ cup) in 10 to 15 minutes. It thickens more as it cools.

Substitutes

• Red wine vinegar with a pinch of sugar or a few drops of honey per tablespoon.
• Sherry vinegar, which has the same rounded, aged taste but less sweetness.
• For a glaze, pomegranate molasses gives a similar sweet-sour syrup.

How to store it

Keep it closed in a cool, dark cupboard. Vinegar is acidic enough to keep for years. A little sediment at the bottom is normal.

Common mistakes

• Cooking expensive aged balsamic. Heat drives off what you paid for. Use the cheaper kind for cooking and save the aged one for finishing.
• Reducing it over high heat. It can scorch quickly and turn bitter.
• Using balsamic where a recipe wants clean acid. Its sweetness and dark color can muddy a light sauce or pickle.

In recipes

There are three main kinds on the shelf. Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale is made only from cooked grape must and aged for at least 12 years. It is thick, sweet and expensive, and used by the drop. Aceto Balsamico di Modena is wine vinegar mixed with grape must and is the everyday kind for dressings and cooking. Balsamic glaze or cream is a thickened, sweetened version sold ready to drizzle. When a recipe just says "balsamic vinegar", it means the everyday Modena kind.