Commercial balsamics are made by blending traditional balsamic with simple red wine vinegar. Basically, the higher the ratio of traditional to red wine yields a higher rank. However there are many other factors, including the quality of the wine vinegar and the age of the traditional, that affect the ranking of a commercial balsamic. A "0 leaf" balsamic might be 95% red wine vinegar with a splash of traditional and some caramel coloring to give it a dark color. A "1 leaf" is much better than a "0 leaf" and is the prefect balsamic for making a salad dressing recipe.
Recipes
Balsamic Vinegar of Modena can enhance the flavour of every recipe. From hors d'oeuvre, to main courses and side dishes or fruit: it is appreciated on everything and, according to the use, you'll have to take care to choose the right one. Here are our suggestions, with recipes prepared basing on the classification system used by Acetum.
1 Leaf |
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PEPPER-CRUSTED SIRLOIN |
POTATOES OMELETTE |
SERVES 6 PERSONS: · 3 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper Preheat the oven to 180°C. Make a paste with the pepper, salt and olive oil. Score the fat on the sirloin in a cross-hatched fashion. Rub the pepper oil into the fat, working it in deeply between the cuts. Preheat a heavy-based pan over low-medium heat and add the sirloin, fat-side down. Leave the meat for about 20 minutes, to allow the fat to render. Increase the heat and turn the sirloin over to brown the other side. Drain, transfer to the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, then remove and set aside to rest. To make the salad: cut the vegetables into similar sized pieces and place in a bowl with the garlic and parsley. Whisk the olive oil, ACETUM balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper together in a small bowl and pour over the salad. Toss until the ingredients are well coated, checking the seasoning. TO SERVE: spoon the salad onto the centre of each serving plate. Slice the warm sirloin thinly and put 2 slices on top of each salad. Add some Ligurian olives to each plate and serve at once.
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SERVES 2 PERSONS: · 1 sliced peeled potato Roast the potatoes in much oil. Mix eggs, Parmesan, salt and pepper together. Pour the mixture onto the potatoes and let it thicken on a slow fire. Cut the omelette into slices and put them on a dish. Pour drops of Acetum Balsamic Vinegar of Modena and serve. |
2 LEAVES |
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MUSHROOM PANCAKE "SHORTSTACK" WITH BALSAMIC SYRUP, SUN-DRIED TOMATO BUTTER AND SPINACH SAUCE. |
ROASTED LOIN OF PORK WITH |
SERVES 4 PERSONS: Sun-dried tomato butter: Mushroom pancake batter: Spinach sauce: TO SERVE: 8 to 16 swiss brown mushrooms, marinated in oil, garlic and herbs baby lettuce leaves
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SERVES 6 TO 8 PERSONS: · about 2 ¼ kg loin pork boned and skinned TO SERVE:Preheat the oven to 160°C. Spread out the loin, fat side down and sprinkle lightly with pepper. Lay the sliced prosciutto along the centre of the meat and cover evenly with the basil leaves. Roll the loin firmly, securing first with skewers and then tying with kitchen string. Put the prepared loin on a rack in a baking pan and add the water to the pan. Roast on the centre shelf of the oven for 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours (depending on the thickness of the loin). Mix the ACETUM Balsamic Vinegar with the brown sugar. Remove the loin from the oven, drain the liquid from the pan, then strain and add to the balsamic syrup. Pour the balsamic mixture over the loin and continue to roast for 30 minutes, basting every 10 minutes with the syrup. Remove from the oven, baste again and rest for 15 minutes, covered loosely with aluminium foil, before serving. TO SERVE: put the loin on a serving plate, reheat the syrup, removing excess grease if necessary, and serve the loin in thin slices with a little of the syrup and some grilled or fried polenta. This loin of pork is delicious served at room temperature with cooled syrup, and with a simple green salad. Mustard fruits are another good accompaniment. It is an excellent dish for a buffet or for large numbers of people. A rolled, skinned, boned loin or skinned standing loin can also be cooked in this manner, basted with the balsamic syrup, but without the prosciutto and basil. |
3 LEAVES |
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RABBIT WITH ACETUM BALSAMIC |
PROSCIUTTO, PARMESAN AND SAVOY CABBAGE SALAD |
SERVES 4 TO 6 PERSONS: · 1,2 Kg of ragout of rabbit Marinade: Blend in all the ingredients, pour the marinade on the meat and eventually put it in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Take the meat out of the refrigerator, dry it and put apart the marinade, then season rabbit with salt and pepper. Roast every portion of meat in a large quantity of oil, turning it frequently. Sprinkle with the marinade and cook on a slow fire for about 11/2 hour. Dress by request and add some drops of Balsamic Vinegar. Tip: serve with steamed or roasted potatoes.
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SERVES 6 PERSONS: · 24 slices prosciutto Use only the inner, paler leaves from the cabbage and, using large, sharp and wide-bladed knife, shave the cabbage into the finest possible shreds. (You do not need to wash the cabbage as the inside of a Savoy is so tightly packed.) Place the shreds in a bowl, and add the olive oil salt and pepper to taste. Toss together, then add the ACETUM Balsamic Vinegar of Modena. Break the parmesan into little pieces using a pointed knife. Ease pieces away from the main piece so that they naturally separate along the crystals that from in the cheese. The pieces should be about 2 to 3cm long and up to 5mm thick. Add to the cabbage mixture and toss. Arrange the slices of prosciutto over each plate and cover with 2 tablespoons of the cabbage and parmesan mixture. You could dribble a little extra ACETUM Balsamic Vinegar and extra virgin olive oil over each plate. Serve immediately. |
4 LEAVES |
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CHAR-GRILLED TUNA WITH CAPSICUM, |
ICE-CREAM WITH ACETUM BALSAMIC |
SERVES 4 PERSONS: · 6 par-boiled pink-eye potatoes, halved To serve: Coat the potatoes with olive oil and season with pepper and salt. Char-grill the potatoes on a preheated grill until tender and set aside in a warm place. Briefly char-grill the asparagus and set aside with the potatoes. Season the tuna with pepper and salt and a squeeze of lemon juice. Sear the steaks on a hot grill for a few minutes on each side, leaving the tuna rare in the centre. TO SERVE:transfer the tuna steaks to heated serving plates. Add the potatoes, asparagus, and capsicum. Drizzle with a little olive oil and ACETUM Balsamic Vinegar and serve at once with Wasabi Sauce. WASABI SAUCE (Makes about 1 cup) With a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic to a fine paste with a pinch of salt. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the egg yolk and water. Whisk in the olive oil in a very slow, steady stream until the mixture thickens. Stir in the wasabi and lemon juice to taste, and season with extra salt if necessary. |
SERVES 4 TO 6 PERSONS: · 5 dl of cream Boil cream, milk and sugar. Let it cool and then put it in the ice-cream machine. As soon as the glaze has half frozen add ACETUM Balsamic Vinegar and put it again in the glaze machine for further 3-4 rounds. Put the ice-cream into a precooled container and freeze it. Tip: put the ice-cream balls in glasses and sprinkle with ACETUM Balsamic Vinegar. |
