Most people are familiar with balsamic vinegar as a garnish or dressing on vegetable dishes. In Italy, however, balsamic vinegar is also used in many other ways.
In this article, you’ll learn how to use balsamic vinegar to add zest to even the blandest dishes. You’ll even see how strawberries and cream could combine with Modena balsamic vinegar to create a dessert to be dreamed of.
Balsamic Vinegar in Italy
Balsamic vinegar is a popular ingredient for sauces and salad dressings. Other balsamic vinegar uses include glazing or marinating meat or seafood dishes. Finally, when mixed with olive oil and used as a dip, it gives an authentic Italian flavour to fresh bread.
What isn’t as common is pairing balsamic vinegar with cheese. However, Italians use cheese – especially Parmigiano Reggiano – with balsamic vinegar all the time.
Most cheese is quite salty, and almost all cheese is heavy and rich. When you spice up your cheese with balsamic vinegar, this saltiness and richness are balanced against the tangy, sweet flavour of the balsamic.
Choosing the Cheeses
Most types of cheese go well with balsamic vinegar, as long as both the cheese and the balsamic are high quality.
Grana cheeses
These are hard cheeses, both granular and crumbly in texture. They’re well-matured with strong flavours. Balsamic vinegar goes just as well with Pecorino Romano and Grana Padano as with Parmigiano Reggiano.
Blue cheeses
These have strong flavours and also go well with balsamic vinegar. The sharp taste of Gorgonzola makes it one of the best cheeses to spice up with a bit of balsamic vinegar. Spanish Cabrales and French Roquefort also work well.
Soft cheeses
They don’t have such strong flavours and are easy to overwhelm with strong-tasting foods. However, Mozzarella, Burrata, Ricotta, Chevre and Robiola can all work well with balsamic vinegar used in moderation, especially when you incorporate other ingredients.
In Italy, a Caprese salad is often served as a side dish to the meat dish of the meal. It’s made out of tomato, mozzarella and basil seasoned with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Health Benefits of Balsamic Vinegar
Balsamic vinegar isn’t just delicious but is also good for you! Although the effects of balsamic vinegar haven’t been tested as rigorously as the effects of various medications, there’s some evidence that some balsamic vinegar uses may involve beneficial effects on your health.
- The acetic acid, antioxidants and antimicrobial compounds in balsamic vinegar may improve skin complexion.
- When eaten with a meal, balsamic vinegar helps regulate blood sugar levels.
- Both the acetic acid and the probiotics in balsamic vinegar may improve metabolism and digestion.
- This leads to improved immune function.
- The antioxidants in balsamic vinegar may help keep cholesterol levels down.
Final Thoughts
Although balsamic vinegar is primarily used to garnish vegetable and savoury dishes, the number of potential balsamic vinegar uses is enormous. From Garlic Balsamic Shrimp to Strawberry and Balsamic Homemade Gelato, you’ll find mouthwatering balsamic vinegar recipes to suit every occasion!