BALSAMIC VINEGAR HAS BECOME an all-important condiment in my culinary life. I’m trying to remember when I first had it. It might have been with strawberries and assorted greens in a salad at some fancy restaurant.
Balsamic vinegar and glaze (vinegar cooked down (reduced), making it thicker and sweeter.) now play a prominent role in my gastronomic pleasures.
What intrigues me is how tied it is to winemaking. I suspect one of our area winemakers will roll up their sleeves and begin making Balsamic vinegar. After all, it begins with leftover grape skins, seeds, and stems from the first pressings.
It all began in Italy 1000 years ago. Italians are known for their creative use of every part of a plant. It beats starvation. Traditional Balsamic vinegar takes at least twelve years to process using a succession of wooden barrels (oak, cherry, mulberry, chestnut, etc.). Patience is required.
My exposure to Balsamic glaze has been mostly through my girlfriend’s trials. We have concluded that understanding labels requires considerable knowledge of the complex labeling laws. We suggest trial and error to find a brand that meets your acceptance criteria. Good luck. A web search yields hundreds of selections and price points.
***
The following marinade recipe was discovered last month in Food & Wine Magazine. It seemed to jump out of the page right when we were experiencing some gorgeous summer-like weather, so I got my little Weber charcoal grill up and running. I’ve enjoyed three dinners since, pairing this marinaded flank steak with a baked potato and fresh asparagus. I'm suggesting it would also go great with potato salad as we move into warmer summer weather.
This recipe could be considered a game-changer as I rarely eat beef. The photo above was my sliced grilled steak.
Who says an old dog can’t learn new tricks?
Bob’s Balsamic Flank Steak
Ingredients
1 to 2 lbs. flank steak (London Broil or skirt steak at my butcher’s shop)
Balsamic vinegar 2-3 TBS
Extra virgin olive oil 2 TBS
1 large, smashed garlic clove
1 teaspoon dried Thyme
Ground salt & pepper
Directions
Place all the ingredients in a plastic gallon zip-lock bag and then place it in the refrigerator for four hours.
I cooked both sides on my little Weber for five minutes each and reached 140 F on my new e-thermometer (medium-rare). I let the cooked steak rest for ten minutes and then sliced it on the bias across the grain. These marinaded slices joined a baked potato with sour crème, chives, and local asparagus.
Complete the plate with fresh parsley.
Enjoy!
Comments