Balsamic Vinegar Glaze of Modena is a reduction of balsamic vinegar and grape must (juice). It is used for many things. The traditional way in Modena Italy takes 25 years and is prohibitively expensive, but we can buy things that are something like it, or make our own versions, such as reducing our own high quality balsamic vinegar and grape juice until they are thick.
In addition to pork and strawberries I mix it with preserves, such as blackberry, to glaze duck or lamb. It is also lovely drizzled over melons. As with traditional 25-year-old balsamic I drizzle it over Parmesan cheese. I also shave raw asparagus, Parmesan cheese and slice pears onto a platter, toss in some toasted nuts and drizzle with balsamic glaze. It is also good over grilled radicchio.
It is also fun to run lines across the plate for amuse bouche to rest upon. I love doing that with fricos then stuffing the fricos with a goat cheese (or other) mousse.
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I make it myself by reducing the vinegar with a touch of honey.
My favorite thing is to drizzle it over grilled/roasted vegetables along with fresh mozz. I suppose it would also make a nice glaze for roast chicken or duck. Balsamic glazed carrots, asparagus, pearl onions...very versatile ingredient.
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Glazed salmon
Drizzled on pears
Glazed pork ribs that has been rubbed with a spicy dry rub
Glazed Flat iron steak
Glazed goat cheese tart or goat cheese cheesecake
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I make a pizza with caramelized onions and smoked gouda with balsamic glaze drizzled on top.
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-wild mushroom and caramelized onion tart, with a thin bed of ricotta and/or gruyere cheese drizzled with the glaze to finish.
-sauteed chicken with strawberries and balsamic - marinate the strawbs in balsamic; saute chicken, stir in strawberries and mint; serve drizzled with glaze and some feta crumbles
-halibut - marinated halibut in glaze mixed with a little garlic and olive oil; make a bed of asparagus and onions on parchment or foil; lay halibut on top and broil; reduce marinade and serve over fish.
-i use it in a variation on baklava with raspberries... i call if faux-klava.
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have just made some balsamic glaze from a recipe in 'Eat Fresh' by Annabel Langbein (New Zealand).
Combine 1 cup balsamic vinegar with 1/2 cup apple juice and bring to the boil in a small saucepan. Simmer until thickened and reduced to 1/3 cup (about 10-15 minutes - although it took about 1/2 hour for mine to reduce to 1/3 cup). Pour into a bottle and cool to room temperature. Reheat gently to bring to a spoonable consistency. Makes 1/3 cup.
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Caprese tomato-basil four-cheese pizza
http://www.cookingclassy.com/2013/07/four-cheese-caprese-pizza/
Four Cheese Caprese Pizza
Ingredients
1 homemade or store-bought pizza dough (14 - 16 oz)
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 oz ricotta cheese (about 1/2 cup)
8 oz Galbani® Mozzarella Fresca™, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
2 oz shredded Asiago cheese (1/2 cup)
2 oz finely shredded Romano cheese (2/3 cup)
Red pepper flakes, optional
9 oz Campari or Roma tomatoes, sliced (about 5 Campari or 2 large Roma)
1/2 cup basil leaves
2/3 cup balsamic vinegar, optional
Directions
Directions:
Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Place a pizza stone in the oven and heat 30 minutes. If using refrigerated pizza dough, remove dough from refrigerator and allow dough to come to room temperature while pizza stone preheats.
Roll pizza dough out into a 13-inch round on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper, while making a thicker crust along edges of pizza. In a small mixing bowl, stir together olive oil and minced garlic. Brush olive oil evenly over top of crust and season crust with salt and pepper to taste. Dollop small pieces of ricotta cheese over crust, then sprinkle top evenly with Galbani Mozzarella Fresca, Asiago and Romano cheeses. Sprinkle top lightly with red pepper flakes if desired. Slide a pizza peel underneath pizza and parchment and transfer pizza to the pizza stone in preheated oven. Bake 8 - 12 minutes until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately top with tomato slices. Sprinkle basil over top and drizzle with balsamic reduction if desired. Cut pizza into slices and serve warm.
For the optional Balsamic Reduction:
Bring balsamic vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Once it reaches a boil, reduce heat slightly and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally until reduced by 2/3 (to 3 1/2 Tbsp).
Four Cheese Caprese Pizza
Ingredients
1 homemade or store-bought pizza dough (14 - 16 oz)
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 oz ricotta cheese (about 1/2 cup)
8 oz Galbani® Mozzarella Fresca™, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
2 oz shredded Asiago cheese (1/2 cup)
2 oz finely shredded Romano cheese (2/3 cup)
Red pepper flakes, optional
9 oz Campari or Roma tomatoes, sliced (about 5 Campari or 2 large Roma)
1/2 cup basil leaves
2/3 cup balsamic vinegar, optional
Directions
Directions:
Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Place a pizza stone in the oven and heat 30 minutes. If using refrigerated pizza dough, remove dough from refrigerator and allow dough to come to room temperature while pizza stone preheats.
Roll pizza dough out into a 13-inch round on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper, while making a thicker crust along edges of pizza. In a small mixing bowl, stir together olive oil and minced garlic. Brush olive oil evenly over top of crust and season crust with salt and pepper to taste. Dollop small pieces of ricotta cheese over crust, then sprinkle top evenly with Galbani Mozzarella Fresca, Asiago and Romano cheeses. Sprinkle top lightly with red pepper flakes if desired. Slide a pizza peel underneath pizza and parchment and transfer pizza to the pizza stone in preheated oven. Bake 8 - 12 minutes until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately top with tomato slices. Sprinkle basil over top and drizzle with balsamic reduction if desired. Cut pizza into slices and serve warm.
For the optional Balsamic Reduction:
Bring balsamic vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Once it reaches a boil, reduce heat slightly and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally until reduced by 2/3 (to 3 1/2 Tbsp).
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