What you need to know
About Vinegar
Vinegar in the Kitchen
Vinegar is an absolute pantry essential!
You just cannot have too many types of vinegar. If you asked 100 chefs what their top 3 must-have ingredients would be if they were stranded on a desert island we would bet not a single chef wouldn't mention either vinegar or something related. So what's the big deal? Well here we will explain why and share some of the key recipes and concepts related to the use of vinegar by the culinary artist.
Some Basic Recipes
Every meal needs some vegetables and vinegar is an ingredient that can take any vegetable to the next level.
You can even make a whole meal out of some fresh greens or steamed cauliflower by adding some grilled chicken or other protein and drizzling a dressing over the top.
Basic Salad Dressing
This is the basic idea behind all salad dressings. All of these ingredients can be modified according to your needs or likes. Use less oil to make it more sharp or add more sweetener to make it softer. Anything can be used to flavor it further from herbs to miso. This yields just under a cup of dressing, enough for 5-7 salad servings.
-
3 T Vinegar, any type
-
1 T sweetener(maple, honey, or brown sugar, etc.)
-
½ C Oil
-
Pinch of salt
That's it! Every single bottle of dressing on the shelf at the grocery store is some version of the above. The variations are endless from this one recipe… For instance, just the above ingredients will yield a standard vinaigrette that will need to be shaken before dressing your salad. By adding ¼ t of mustard powder or an egg yolk to the vinegar and then slowly whisking in your oil you will get an emulsified dressing that will be thicker in consistency and cling better to your salad. Add anchovies, black pepper, and parmesan to your emulsified dressing and you have a Caesar dressing.
Memorize this one concept and you'll always be able to put a delicious salad together in under 5 minutes without a thought.
Interesting Studies and Articles on
The Health Benefits of Vinegar
Hadi et al 2021 “The Effect of apple cider vinegar on lipid profiles and glycemic parameters: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials” in Complementary Medicine and Therapies 21:179 stated:
“Elevated lipid profiles and impaired glucose homeostasis are risk factors for several cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which, subsequently, represent a leading cause of early mortality worldwide. . .Apple cider vinegar consumption significantly decreased serum total cholesterol, fasting plasma glucose and HbA1C concentrations”.
Vogue Magazine August 4, 2023 Health & Beauty editor Hannah Coates explored the renaissance of apple cider vinegar (ACV) on social media in her article entitled: “ I Take an Apple Cider Vinger Shot Every Morning – Here Are All the Benefits” to concluded …
“ACV is not, in my opinion, another fad. Having soft-launched a daily helping into my routine a few weeks ago, I now know it’s now here for good. And while I know it’s not some cure-all, it is one dietary addition that has definitely improved my digestion for the better–for that alone, it’s a resounding yes from me.”