Recipe: Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette - Bruce Bradley (2024)

FAQs

Recipe: Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette - Bruce Bradley? ›

Balsamic vinegar is pure vinegar. Balsamic vinegar is dark brown in color and has a very robust, slightly sweet flavor. Balsamic vinaigrette is a mixture made with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sugar, salt and/or other spices. It is typically used as a salad dressing but has other uses in the kitchen as well.

Balsamic vinegar is pure vinegar. Balsamic vinegar is dark brown in color and has a very robust, slightly sweet flavor. Balsamic vinaigrette is a mixture made with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, sugar, salt and/or other spices. It is typically used as a salad dressing but has other uses in the kitchen as well.

The Basic Vinaigrette Formula

The most basic ratio for making a salad vinaigrette is: one part vinegar (or other acid) three parts oil.

Here is a perfect example of a culinary ratio, one that's fairly standard: The 3-to-1 vinaigrette, or 3 parts oil, 1 part vinegar.

So the next time you're dressing a salad, reach for the balsamic vinegar–in the long run, not ingesting that extra fat and sugar makes a big difference!

Heart health and blood pressure

Balsamic vinegar can reduce the concentration of triglycerides and total cholesterol in the body; these have been linked to heart attacks and stroke. Also, due to its low saturated fat content, balsamic vinegar is believed to enhance heart health and reduce high blood pressure.

The French have decided that the perfect ratio for a vinaigrette is 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. For my personal taste, that's a little too oily — but it's totally up to you. My simple system is: In a small screw-top jar, place vinegar and a pinch of salt; cover and shake (this helps to dissolve the salt).

The most common emulsifiers in your kitchen are likely egg yolks, mayonnaise, prepared mustard (preferably Dijon), honey, and tomato paste (though I'm not a fan of raw tomato paste, the flavor works quite well in a vinaigrette). For a more neutral flavor, use mayonnaise.

Balsamic vinegar: Makes a bold, slightly sweet dressing that is wonderful on green salads with fruit, such as apples, strawberries or peaches. Red wine vinegar: Packs a punch and works well with other bold flavors and bright veggies, like tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber, cabbage and more (think Greek salads).

What are the ingredients in Newman's own vinaigrette? ›

Canola Oil, Water, Apple Cider Vinegar, Distilled Vinegar, Feta Cheese (Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Green Olives (Green Olives, Water, Distilled Vinegar, Salt, Lactic Acid), Sugar, Dijon Mustard (Distilled Vinegar, Mustard Seed, Water, Salt, White Wine, Citric Acid, ...

It is quite simple. Once the salad is made and you are just ready to serve it: add the salt, then vinegar, and lastly a generous amount of EVOO. The salad should then be mixed to extend and hom*ogenize the ingredients. Salads are usually dressed at the table.

Red wine vinegar and an olive oil blend. It's how a Jersey Mike's sub gets its exquisite zing. It's how bites get boosted, and a great sub becomes an even better one. The Juice adds that certain something extra.

Replace the balsamic vinegar called for with an equal amount of balsamic vinaigrette. This will add olive oil to your recipe, but that should work just fine in the types of recipes that call for balsamic vinegar.

Why is it called balsamic vinegar? Balsamic vinegar actually derives its name from the word balm (rooted in the Latin balsamum), which refers to an aromatic resin or odour, as well as a substance that soothes, relieves or heals.

At its most basic, balsamic vinaigrette is made of oil and balsamic vinegar. The oil is usually olive oil, and there is usually an emulsifying ingredient such as mustard. Herbs and spices, salt and pepper, and a sweetener such as honey may also be added.

Balsamic vinegar contains no fat and very little natural sugar. It's been proven to lower cholesterol, stabilize blood pressure, support weight loss, and improve your skin.