Balsamic Vinegar

M

Melendez

At the Start
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Dublin
Inspired by a prominent food critic of Italian descent who keeps blathering on about how you shouldn't put balsamic vinegar in a caprese salad, I went and got a dogs bollox of a balsamic vinegar to try it out. God it is gorgeous. It cost, I think, a little under €15 for something about the size of a largish, portable holy water holder, but it works out only about 50 cent a portion. You end up with two meals in one if you're generous enough with the vinegar and oil, as you get to mop up all the mess left on the plate with bread when you're finished the salad.

I'd drink the stuff neat if it was cheaper, however I satisfy myself with making sure to dribble a bit on the worktop to stick my finger in.

Thank you for your attention. Tomorrow, the delights of walnut oil.
 
I wouldn't know a caprese salad if someone hit me with one but I've tried persevering with balsamic vinegar on other salads and it just doesn't do it for me.

I like vinegary dressings and enjoy mopping them up with nice bread, though.
 
The usual balsamic vinegar I get is just like a slightly sweetened version of wine vinegar and doesn't do much for me either. The pricey balsamic is a sweet syrupy stuff that isn't really like normal vinegar at all.

Caprese salad is just tomatoes, buffalo Mozzarella, basil and olive oil.
 
No. The name "mozzarella di bufala campana" is the protected name. Block mozzarella is usually made out of cows milk.
 
Originally posted by Melendez@Oct 25 2007, 02:54 PM
Caprese salad is just tomatoes, buffalo Mozzarella, basil and olive oil.
Click to expand...
....and it is the dog's bollocks, too! Love the stuff.

I'm well into oils, especially variations on olive oil. I eat gallons of the stuff - by myself I get through a litre bottle every 2/3 months which is pretty good going! Especially considering that I have other bottles of the stuff as well flavoured with stuff like basil or chillis.
 
Originally posted by Shadow Leader+Oct 25 2007, 04:21 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Shadow Leader @ Oct 25 2007, 04:21 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Melendez@Oct 25 2007, 02:54 PM
Caprese salad is just tomatoes, buffalo Mozzarella, basil and olive oil.
Click to expand...
....and it is the dog's bollocks, too! Love the stuff.

I'm well into oils, especially variations on olive oil. I eat gallons of the stuff - by myself I get through a litre bottle every 2/3 months which is pretty good going! Especially considering that I have other bottles of the stuff as well flavoured with stuff like basil or chillis. [/b][/quote]
tm1a35_caprese_salad_e.jpg


Looks good I'll try some of that I have home grown toms and two different types of virgin olive oil...................
 
I absolutely love garlic flavoured olive oil.Nigella Lawson has recipe using it with spaghetti and bacon pieces that is perfect comfort food(her serving suggestion is "to be eaten in bed or in front of tv!).You put 2 tablespoons of oil and some chopped bacon in pyrex dish in oven and put pasta on to cook.All ready in same time,mix it altogether with little water from spaghetti and add chopped parsley.Heaven in 10 mins!
 
I love insalata tricolore - salad with slaiced tomato, mozarella, and avocado
The tricolour is of course the Italian flag - red white and green.
Drizzle with really good olive oil, a mere sprinkle of balsamic vinegar, sea salt and ground black pepper - and a sprinkle of torn basil leaves. Heaven!

'Spaghettini aglio olio peperoncini' [garlic, oil, and chili peppers] is also excellent and very quick - just heat up the oil with chopped garlic, and a finely chopped little hot pepper; toss this with the pasta - the very thin long pasta called spaghettini is traditionally used.

The Italians are very fussy which pasta is used with each kind sauce, btw - for example they serve tagliatelle with cream sauces, not tomato based sauces as we sometimes do here. I'm mad about Italian food - one of the best things about living there!
 
Tonight I thought I was a culinary God.

Salmon, olive oil, salt, pepper, frying pan. Add new potatoes and a tomato and 10 minutes later, voila !!! The best meal I have ever cooked myself, also beating anything I have eaten out this year.
 
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