Reduced Balsamic Vinegar for Drizzling Sauce and Glaze
You may have heard me describe the extraordinary qualities of an authentic aceto balsamico tradizionale—how it takes 20 years of careful concentration to develop its intense flavors; how a few drops make a dish taste magical; and how the price of a tiny bottle has caused many unsuspecting tourists to faint! Here, though, is a more reasonable way to bring some of the intensity and complexity of the greatest balsamic vinegar to everyday dishes: reduce a bottle of the affordable commerciale grade of balsamic to a thick syrup. Don’t look for the cheapest “balsamic” on supermarket shelves; look for a vinegar from a reputable company, produced in Italy—and expect to pay $8 to $10 for a pint. I use this condiment on a range of dishes (and in numerous recipes throughout the book), as a thick sauce to drizzle on meats and vegetables and, in a somewhat thinner state, as a glaze on roasts. As you’ll see in the recipe, the vinegar reduces with added honey and bay leaf, but you can give it other flavor notes. I vary these with the dish I intend to dress: for vegetables I add whole cloves; for meat and poultry I add rosemary; for fish I add thyme. The basic formula will provide you with syrup for drizzling on a half-dozen dishes, maybe more. It will keep forever in the refrigerator, but I’m sure you’ll use it up quicker than that!
Recipe information
Yield
makes 2/3 cup of thin syrup for glazing, or 1/2 cup thick syrup to drizzle or for dipping
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Pour the balsamic vinegar into a heavy-bottomed saucepan, and place over moderate heat. Stir in the honey, drop in the bay leaf and optional cloves or herbs, and bring to a low boil. Adjust the heat to maintain a steady simmer, and allow the vinegar to reduce slowly. After 1/2 hour or so, when it has lost more than half of its original volume, the vinegar will start to appear syrupy, and you should watch it closely.
To Use as a Glaze
Step 2
Cook the sauce to a third of its original volume (when it will measure 2/3 cup). It should be the consistency of molasses, thick but still spreadable. Pour the syrup through a small strainer into a heat-proof bowl or measuring cup. Discard the bay leaf and seasonings. Brush on the glaze while warm.
For Use as a Condiment and an Elixir to Drizzle over Vegetables
Step 3
Reduce the vinegar even more, until it approaches a quarter of its original volume. Slow bubbles will rise from the syrup, and it will take on the consistency of honey, leaving a thick coating on a spoon. Pour it through a small strainer into a heat-proof bowl or measuring cup. Use a heat-proof spatula or spoon to clean out the saucepan before the reduction sticks to the pot for good! Drizzle on the syrup while it is still warm.
Step 4
Store in the refrigerator, in a sealed container. It will congeal but keep indefinitely. To use, spoon the hard sauce into a bowl or heatproof measuring cup, and heat it slowly in a pan of hot water or at low level in the microwave. For a thinner consistency, stir in drops of hot water.
