Part Three

Cooking with Vinegar

Vinegar is so versatile beyond its uses for infusions and pickling. It’s also a great addition to many foods, including special diets. If you need to lower sodium, fat, sugar, or some other additions, vinegar can elevate your food’s flavor to help compensate for the things that are missing. For instance, if you’re not adding salt to your food, a splash of vinegar will add a vibrant zip to your meal. No, it won’t have the same benefits of salt. But it will improve your food’s flavor. Try a splash with a soup or a sauce, or even in a bowl of rice. You’ll love it!

Vinaigrettes, Dressings, and Sauces

The most common use for vinegar is with salad. The simplest, healthiest, and fastest dressing for a salad is a bit of vinegar and oil. From there, the sky and your ingredients are the only limits.

A vinaigrette is the classic combination of oil and vinegar. The only two things you have to know when making a vinaigrette is how to make an emulsion, and the ratio 2:1. An emulsion is what happens when you mix together two or more ingredients that usually don’t mix together. If you can get them to stay mixed, and not separate, then you have an emulsion. The combination of oil and vinegar is the classic example. If you were to just pour the vinegar into a bowl, and then pour the oil on top of it, you’d end up with two separated liquids that are not combined into one. Even if you were to whisk them together, they’d still separate. But there is a way to combine them to stay together. First, you whisk all of the ingredients, except the oil, together. Once they’re combined, you slowly drizzle in the oil while whisking it into the vinegar mixture. This will allow all of the ingredients to stay together, forming the emulsion.

How and why does this work? Think of Velcro, with its hooks and loops. The two sides hang on to each other and don’t let go. With a vinaigrette emulsion, you have all of the ingredients hanging on to each. It’s the whisking action, and the bit of air that’s added, that gives you the Velcro-like holding of the ingredients. The two actions of slowly adding the oil and the whisking are what create the emulsion. If you skip either one, you won’t have a vinaigrette. You’ll just have a lot of liquid with things floating (or sinking!) in it.

The other important thing to know about making a vinaigrette is the ratio of 2 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. While this may vary for different recipes, this is always a good starting point.

You can use a blender instead of a whisk to make your vinaigrette. If you use a blender, your emulsion will be much thicker and the color might be slightly different too. A balsamic vinaigrette, for example, may be a lighter brown color in the blender than when whisked.

A vinaigrette will last for at least two weeks in a sealed container on your countertop. If there’s dairy such as sour cream in the vinaigrette, refrigerate it after using. If the vinaigrette separates during this time, whisk it just before serving.

Eggless Caesar Salad Dressing

Yield: approximately 1 cup

It’s very common to make a Caesar dressing with a raw egg yolk or two. That’s because the yolks will help thicken the dressing and give it a good texture. However, raw egg yolks have been linked to food-borne illnesses for many years, so it’s best to avoid them.

You may be inclined to skip the anchovies in this recipe, but I suggest that you keep them in. They add a bit of a salty zip to the recipe but are hidden enough that they don’t stand out to make the dressing taste fishy.

Ingredients

Instructions

Whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, anchovies, garlic, mustard, Parmesan, Worcestershire, and pepper. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking. Check the seasoning. For a thicker dressing: In a blender, process the garlic. Add the remaining ingredients except for the oil. Slowly add the oil with the blender running.

Ranch Dressing

Yield: approximately 3⁄4 cup

This ranch dressing is tangy, zesty, and rich tasting. You can lighten it by using reduced-fat sour cream, mayonnaise, and yogurt.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Whisk together the mayonnaise and sour cream.
  2. 2. To the mayonnaise–sour cream mixture, add the scallions, vinegar, yogurt, honey, salt, and pepper, and combine.
  3. 3. Chill for at least 1 hour.
  4. 4. Taste and adjust the flavors as needed.

Italian Dressing

Yield: approximately 1 cup

This versatile dressing is perfect on salad, as a marinade for meats, seafood, and poultry, and as a dip for vegetables.

Ingredients

Instructions

Whisk together the garlic, oregano, basil, mustard, sugar, salt, vinegar, and Parmesan, if using. Then slowly add the olive oil while whisking until combined.

Orange Vinaigrette

Yield: approximately 1 cup

The orange flavors sing with the lighter grapeseed oil. Olive oil and canola oil are too heavy, and hide the delicate citrus flavors.

Ingredients

Instructions

Whisk together the vinegar, zest, salt, pepper, and honey, if using. Slowly add the oil to the vinegar mixture while whisking.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Yield: approximately 1 cup

This is my go-to vinaigrette for most of the year. The mustard, garlic, and honey give this extra flavor beyond the balsamic vinegar.

Ingredients

Instructions

Whisk together the garlic, honey, mustard, salt, pepper, and vinegar. Then slowly add the olive oil while whisking until combined.

Balsamic Glaze

Yield: approximately 1/2 cup

When you reduce the vinegar and add the honey, you end up with an intensified, slightly sweet mixture that’s great on fresh mozzarella, fresh fruit, or grilled chicken, lamb, and beef. It’ll even go well on vanilla ice cream!

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. In a saucepan, bring the vinegar to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the volume is reduced to approximately 1⁄2 cup. The vinegar should thickly coat the back of a spoon.
  2. 2. Remove from the heat and add the honey. Cool to room temperature.

Korean Beef Marinade

Yield: approximately 1⁄2 cup

This is the perfect marinade for beef ribs or flank steak. And it pairs well with the Asian Slaw. After marinating, bring it to a simmer and use as a dipping sauce.

Ingredients

Instructions

Whisk together the soy sauce, oil, garlic, sugar, vinegar, and pepper. This makes enough marinade for 3 to 4 pounds of beef.

Best Barbecue Sauce Ever

Yield: approximately 3⁄4 quart

This sweet and tangy sauce gets its zip from vinegar, fresh ginger, and lime juice. You’ll never buy or make another barbecue sauce ever again.

Ingredients

Instructions

Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate until use. This will keep in the refrigerator for three weeks.

Béarnaise Sauce

Yield: 1–11/2 cups

Béarnaise sauce is a zippier version of hollandaise sauce. Hollandaise is known, among other things, as the sauce on top of eggs Benedict. Béarnaise is often paired with beef and is well known for pairing with the classic beef tenderloin dish, Chateaubriand.

Many people live in fear of making hollandaise and béarnaise. They even buy mixes for them, and continue to be fearful. If you take your time and don’t try to rush things, your béarnaise sauce will be great. The secret is to use the double boiler/stainless steel bowl method in the recipe to make the sauce. If you try to cook it directly over the heat, without the double boiler, you will most likely end up with a “broken” sauce. This means the heat got too high, and the sauce will have separated into a yellow mush. The technique below will prevent that.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the vinegar, wine, shallots, and dried tarragon, and simmer until reduced to 2 tablespoons of liquid. Cool and strain through a fine sieve, coffee filter, or cheesecloth.
  2. 2. In the top of a double boiler (or a stainless steel bowl set over a saucepan with 2 inches of simmering water), whisk the egg yolks until they become thickened. Whisk in the reduced vinegar mixture and pepper until mixture is warm, about 2 minutes. The yolk mixture will be thickened enough when you can see the bottom of the pan between strokes and mixture forms a light cream on the wires of the whip.
  3. 3. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Let it cool (it can still be warm, but it should not be simmering hot), and then skim the white foam off the top of the butter.
  4. 4. With a whisk, add the melted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, to the egg yolk mixture. (Do not add the milk solids at the bottom of the melted butter.) Whisk constantly, and make sure all of the butter is mixed in before adding more. As the mixture begins to thicken and become creamy, the butter can be added more rapidly.
  5. 5. Season the sauce to taste with minced fresh tarragon, salt, and pepper. To keep the sauce warm, turn off the heat under the water, and keep the sauce on top. You can also remove the bowl from the pan, and gently warm it over the hot water just before serving.

Chutneys

Chutney is a hybrid food that evolved when Britain’s empire extended into India. It combines the English love of sweet sauces, their ancient need to preserve food during long voyages at sea, and foods not regularly found on English plates: mangoes, ginger, allspice, and (nonmalt) vinegar.

This put chutney into a new category, because it’s not a jam, yet it can be eaten on bread. It’s not exactly a relish, but it goes well with cheeses. It’s not a gravy, yet it goes well with poultry and other meats, hot or cold.

So what is it? It’s a sweet, tart, often fruit-filled condiment that pairs well with many dissimilar foods and keeps for months in the fridge. With a base of sugar and vinegar, you can create a chutney with almost any fruit that appeals to you. Some people like to purée their chutney, but I like it with the chopped, chunky fruit throughout. That’s the beauty of chutney: there is no wrong way to prepare it, and it goes with so many foods.

Mango Chutney

Yield: 6 cups

Chutney’s combination of sweet and tangy is perfect with so many foods, including seafood and poultry. If your entrée doesn’t have a sauce, this chutney is a great substitute.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Combine the sugar and vinegar in a 6-quart pot. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
  2. 2. Add the mangoes, onion, raisins, ginger, and garlic and simmer, uncovered, until syrupy and slightly thickened, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Stir occasionally during the cooking.

Apple Chutney

Yield: approximately 2 cups

This chutney is especially good during the holiday season, as it pairs well with turkey. Use Granny Smith apples if you like tart apples, or apples such as Golden Delicious or Gala if you prefer a sweeter flavor.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Combine the sugar and vinegar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
  2. 2. Add the apples, onion, orange zest, raisins, ginger, and allspice to the sugar-vinegar mixture. Simmer, uncovered, until syrupy and slightly thickened, approximately 45 minutes. Stir occasionally during the cooking.

Chilled Salads and Slaws

Here’s a tip about vinegar and chilled salads that’s been a secret for too long: after the salad’s been chilled, and before you serve it, you have to taste it — even if you thought the seasoning was fine before being refrigerated. That’s because the salt, pepper, and vinegar have had a chance to sink into and be absorbed by the food. When you first prepare it, these flavors are just on the surface. That’s why, with so many foods, you have to add more salt, pepper, and vinegar to the food to elevate the flavor to where you want it to be. And this starts with a quick taste before you serve it.

Traditional Potato Salad

Yield: approximately 10 servings

This American summer classic is improved with just a splash of red wine vinegar before serving. It’ll bring out all of the salad’s flavors.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Place the potatoes in a pot of cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer until the potatoes are almost cooked through. Drain and place into a large bowl.
  2. 2. While the potatoes are cooking, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, and vinegar. Set aside.
  3. 3. When the potatoes are cool enough to touch (they can also be at room temperature), gently combine them with the mayonnaise mixture. Do this with a rubber spatula to prevent the potatoes from breaking apart.
  4. 4. Add the onion, celery, and eggs, if using, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until chilled through.
  5. 5. Before serving, adjust the flavor with vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Vinegar to the Rescue

Here are a few ways that vinegar can come in handy in the kitchen:

If your recipe calls for buttermilk, you don’t have to rush out to buy it. Just add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to a liquid cup measure, and add enough milk to complete a 1 cup measure. Let this sit for 5 minutes, and you’ll have an equal substitute for buttermilk.

If your recipe calls for lemon or lime juice, you can substitute vinegar for the citrus. Just be sure to use half the amount that’s called for in the recipe.

If you’re cooking with apples, a well-known way to keep them from turning brown after peeling is to put them in a bowl of water with some lemon juice. You can use cider vinegar instead. Add approximately 2 tablespoons of vinegar for every 1 gallon of water.

Vinaigrette Potato Salad

Yield: approximately 10 servings

This lighter version of potato salad gets its flavor from the scallions, onions, and red wine vinaigrette. It’s a simple salad that looks great with red potatoes.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Place the potatoes in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are almost cooked through. Drain and place in a large bowl.
  2. 2. While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the vinaigrette. In a bowl, combine the garlic, the 1/3 cup vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper. Then, very slowly, drizzle in the oil, whisking until the vinaigrette is combined. Set aside.
  3. 3. Add the vinaigrette, scallions, onion, and capers, if using, to the warm (but not hot) potatoes.
  4. 4. Chill for at least 2 hours. Before serving, adjust the flavor with the remaining vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Potato Salad Notes for Success

If you cannot find red bliss potatoes, use larger red potatoes or russet potatoes. Avoid Yukon gold potatoes, as they can turn mushy in the salad.

After the potatoes have been cooked and drained, spread them out in a sheet pan (or two) with sides to help them cool a bit faster and more evenly. This will also help keep them from breaking apart as they would if they were cooled in a big pile in a bowl. Once they have cooled a bit but are still warm to the touch, place them in a large bowl and add the vinaigrette, red onions, scallions, and capers.

If you want to cool the potato salad faster, return it to the sheet pans after the vinaigrette and other ingredients have been added. Cool to room temperature (approximately 15 minutes). Then place in a bowl and refrigerate.

Coleslaw with Sour Cream and Mayo

Yield: approximately 4 quarts (1 gallon), or approximately 20 servings

This traditional coleslaw gets its richness from both the sour cream and mayonnaise. The zing from the vinegar lightens and balances the flavors.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Combine the cabbage, carrots, and onion in a large bowl.
  2. 2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, and agave.
  3. 3. Pour the mayonnaise mixture over the cabbage mixture and season with the salt and pepper. If time permits, chill for at least 30 minutes, and adjust the flavors with salt, pepper, and vinegar as needed.

Asian Slaw

Yield: approximately 4 quarts (1 gallon), or approximately 20 servings

Perfect with a cookout or any Asian meal. The napa cabbage gives it a different flavor and texture from traditional slaws.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Combine the cabbage, bok choy, bell pepper, carrots, onion, and scallions in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, ginger, sesame seeds, salt, and pepper. Then, slowly add the sesame and grapeseed oils while whisking.
  2. 2. Combine the vinegar mixture with the vegetables and refrigerate for an hour or overnight. Before serving, adjust the flavor with salt, pepper, and vinegar as needed.

Sweet Potato Salad (Adapted from The Thrill of the Grill)

Yield: 10–12 servings

The bright color and softer texture of sweet potatoes help make this a well-received addition to indoor and outdoor parties.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Bring salted water to a boil and boil the sweet potatoes for 8 to 10 minutes. You should be able to pierce them with a fork, but you should still feel some resistance, and they shouldn’t fall apart. Don’t overcook them! While the potatoes are boiling, prepare an ice-water bath in a large bowl or another stockpot for the potatoes. When the potatoes are done, drain in a colander and plunge into the ice bath. When the potatoes have cooled, drain them well.
  2. 2. Add the bell pepper, onion, and parsley to the potatoes.
  3. 3. Make the dressing by combining the mustard, ketchup, garlic, vinegar, Worcestershire, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a separate bowl. Slowly add the olive oil while whisking.
  4. 4. Pour the dressing over the vegetable mixture and refrigerate for at least an hour. Before serving, adjust the flavor with salt, pepper, and vinegar, as needed.

Mediterranean Orzo

Yield: approximately 4 quarts (1 gallon), or approximately 20 servings

The flavors of the kalamata olives stand out among all of the distinctive flavors of this salad. For a gluten-free alternative, use quinoa instead of orzo.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. For the dressing, whisk together the mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Slowly add the olive oil while whisking, and combine well. Set aside.
  2. 2. In a large bowl, combine the cooked orzo with the zucchini, squash, onion, scallions, roasted peppers, and olives. Add the dressing and chill.
  3. 3. Just before serving, add the feta cheese, and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

How to Roast a Pepper

Put an oven rack to the highest level. Place a sheet pan or a piece of aluminum foil on the rack below it, under where you’ll place the pepper(s), to catch drips. Turn on your broiler.

Place the peppers on their side, directly on the higher rack, under the broiler element or flame. Carefully rotate the peppers after each side is blackened. Do this for the whole pepper, until none, or very little, of the pepper color shows through.

After removing the peppers from the oven, place them in either a brown paper bag or in a bowl sealed tightly with plastic wrap. Let this sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour, but not more than 2 hours.

With a paring knife, remove the blackened skin and seeds. You’re now ready to use them!

Appetizers and Soups

Soups and appetizers don’t always reach their potential for great flavor because they often include just terrific ingredients, plus salt and pepper. While this can work, it’s the addition of vinegar that can elevate the flavors, signaling the start of more great-tasting food to follow.

Caprese Sliders

Yield: approximately 20 sliders

This variation turns this classic salad into a mini-sandwich. The key is to use a blender to make the vinaigrette. This will thicken it and keep the bread from becoming soggy. You can make the dressing a day or two ahead and refrigerate it. If you make the dressing in advance, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving, in case the olive oil has thickened from the cold temperature of the refrigerator.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Make the dressing by combining the honey, mustard, salt, pepper, and vinegar in a blender. When everything is combined, slowly add in the olive oil with the blender running until it’s all combined and thickened.
  2. 2. Lay half of the French bread slices on a sheet pan. Arrange the mozzarella, tomato, and fresh basil on top of the bread. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of the dressing on top of each sandwich, and cover with a slice of French bread. If you’re going to stack the sliders on a platter, skewer each one with a toothpick to hold it together.

Caponata

Yield: approximately 1⁄2 quart

Don’t be alarmed by the number of steps; the recipe’s not as complicated as it appears. If you have a convection oven, you can bake/roast the tomatoes and eggplant together.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Place the eggplant in a colander, and sprinkle with salt. Set aside for 1 hour.
  2. 2. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  3. 3. Coat a sheet pan with cooking spray or a light drizzle of olive oil. Place the tomatoes, cut side up, on the prepared sheet pan, and coat with oil. Sprinkle with salt. Bake for 30 minutes.
  4. 4. Turn the tomatoes over and bake for 30 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. When they have cooled, remove the tomato skins.
  5. 5. Arrange the eggplant on a greased baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, turning them every 10 minutes or so. Remove from the oven and let cool.
  6. 6. In a food processor, add the garlic and onion, and process until minced. Add the eggplant, tomatoes, roasted peppers, capers, vinegar, and lemon juice to the processor bowl. Pulse just until it’s a very coarse purée. Do not make it too smooth.
  7. 7. Serve with toast points or crusty bread.

Vegetarian Pot Stickers and Dipping Sauce

Yield: 40–50 pot stickers

If you can’t find black rice vinegar in your market, the regular rice vinegar is a good substitute. The gyoza wrappers can be found in Asian markets and many supermarkets. If you can’t find round wrappers, square ones will work, too. Just fold them corner to corner and follow the same directions for sealing them as the round wrappers.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. For the dipping sauce, combine the 1/3 cup soy sauce, black vinegar, agave, and 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil in a bowl. Set aside.
  2. 2. For the filling, combine, in a separate bowl, the bok choy, garlic, carrot, scallions, ginger, rice vinegar, the remaining 2 teaspoons each sesame oil and soy sauce, and egg.
  3. 3. Place 12 to 14 gyoza wrappers on your work surface. Put approximately 11⁄2 teaspoons of filling in the middle of each wrapper.
  4. 4. Fill a small bowl with water. Dip your finger in the water and put a thin layer of water halfway around the edge of the gyoza wrapper. Fold the other half of the wrapper onto the dampened edge. Pinch together the folded-over edge of the wrapper.
  5. 5. Stand the dumplings seam side up on a lightly oiled or sprayed sheet pan. The oil will keep the dumplings from sticking to the sheet pan until they’re cooked. Gently press down on the dumplings to give them a flat-bottomed surface so they can stand upright while cooking. Cover the dumplings with damp paper towels before cooking to keep them from drying out.
  6. 6. Heat the 3 tablespoons of cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the dumplings in the skillet, seam side up. Place as many in the pan as you can fit, as long as they’re not touching. Cook for approximately 3 minutes, or until they’re golden brown on the bottom.
  7. 7. Add 1⁄2 cup water, lower the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes. You can tell they’re done when the dumpling wrapper has the consistency of cooked pasta. Note: Check after 4 minutes of steaming to make sure there’s still water in the pan. Add 1⁄4 cup of water if needed.
  8. 8. Carefully remove them from the pan, preferably with a metal spatula to keep them from sticking to the pan and tearing. Serve with the dipping sauce.

Bruschetta

Yield: approximately 60 pieces

When this classic Italian tomato salad, on garlic crostini, is sitting on a white platter, it’ll look like you’ve been working for hours to prepare it. It’s fast and simple, with a colorful look and great flavor.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Combine 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Brush the mixture onto the sliced bread, and place the bread onto a sheet pan. Bake in the oven until golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside to cool.
  2. 2. Cut the green stem end off of the tomatoes and discard. Chop the tomatoes into approximately 1⁄2-inch cubes. Add the basil, scallions, the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, vinegar, and garlic to the tomatoes. Adjust the flavor with salt and pepper.
  3. 3. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the mixture onto each slice of toast. Sprinkle with Parmesan, if using, and serve.

Lentil Soup

Yield: 6 servings

Lentil soup is one of the all-time comfort foods and can be on your table less than an hour after you start to prepare it. Freeze the leftovers, and you’ll be set for the next chilly suppertime.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Bring the stock and water to a simmer, and add the lentils. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes for brown lentils, 30 minutes for green. They’ll be mostly cooked through.
  2. 2. Add the tomatoes, and bring to a simmer, covered.
  3. 3. Add the carrots, onion, and celery. Cover and simmer for another 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are cooked.
  4. 4. Add the vinegar, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Kale and Kielbasa Soup

Yield: 6–8 servings

If you’re new to kale, don’t be alarmed at how much room it takes up when it’s raw. Once cooked, it will reduce significantly, like spinach. All of the dicing of the vegetables (except the kale) and sausage should be small and spoon-sized.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. In a large stockpot, add the stock and tomatoes, and bring to a simmer. Add the onions, carrots, and celery, and bring to a light boil. Simmer covered until the carrots are partially cooked through, approximately 10 minutes.
  2. 2. Add the potatoes, and simmer covered for 5 minutes.
  3. 3. Add the chopped kale, and simmer covered until all of the vegetables are cooked through.
  4. 4. Add the cooked sausage, bring to a simmer, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
  5. 5. Serve with grated Parmesan.

Side Dishes and Main Courses

Vinegar is often overlooked as an added ingredient for side dishes and main courses. Cooks often think that vinegar is only used on salads and a few entrees. By expanding its uses to other parts of the meal, you can open up a world of new recipes.

Baked Beans

Yield: 8–10 servings

While less sweet than many canned beans, these baked beans are a perfect pair with smoked meats. Great northern beans are a good choice.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. 2. Cook the bacon in a Dutch oven or small stockpot. Remove the bacon and set aside. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings. When cool, chop it into 1⁄2-inch pieces.
  3. 3. Sauté the onion, and add the beans, ketchup, molasses, vinegar, mustard, and bacon.
  4. 4. Bake in the oven (covered) or simmer on the stove top for 1 hour. If simmering, stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Beef Short Ribs

Yield: 4–6 servings

The balsamic vinegar and orange zest pair well with this hearty beef dish. The meat will fall right off, so you can serve this with or without the bones.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
  2. 2. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet or stockpot over medium-high heat, and then brown the ribs. Remove from the pan when they’re browned on all sides. You’ll probably have to do this in multiple batches.
  3. 3. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Sauté the onions for 10 to 15 minutes until they are translucent and barely crunchy. Stir in the garlic. Add the wine, orange juice, vinegar, ketchup, and mustard. Bring to a simmer. Add the meat and enough stock to bring the liquid halfway up the side of the ribs. Bring to a simmer, and remove any scum from the surface. Cover with foil and a lid.
  4. 4. After 1 hour, add the orange zest. Continue to cook until the meat is tender, for a total of 11⁄2 to 2 hours. Remove the ribs and place on a serving plate.
  5. 5. Put the sauce on the stove, over medium-high heat, and bring to a simmer. Simmer to reduce the sauce to your liking and to intensify its flavor. After the sauce is reduced, season to taste with salt and pepper and pour over the ribs.

Marinated Flank Steak

Yield: 4–5 servings

If flank steak is unavailable, a London broil cut works well, too.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Combine the olive oil, red wine, vinegar, garlic, soy sauce, honey, and pepper. Add the steak, and marinate for 2 to 8 hours (covered, in the refrigerator).
  2. 2. To cook: Grill, broil, or pan-fry (in a cast iron skillet, if possible) for 4 to 5 minutes per side. Note that flank steak is best served between rare and medium. If it’s well done, it’ll probably be very tough and chewy.

Sauerbraten

Yield: 6–8 servings

Sauerbraten is the classic German pot roast. Translated into English, it means “sour roast meat.” The secret to sauerbraten’s unique flavor is to marinate the meat for at least one day (three days is preferable). The vinegar will help make the meat incredibly tender and flavorful.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. In a large saucepan, over high heat, combine the water, cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, onion, carrot, salt, pepper, bay leaves, cloves, and juniper berries. Cover and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
  2. 2. Pat the beef dry. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and then brown the meat on all sides.
  3. 3. When the marinade has cooled, place the meat in a nonreactive bowl, stockpot, or meat-cooking bag and pour over the marinade. Place in the refrigerator and let marinate for 1 to 3 days. If the meat is not completely submerged in the liquid, turn it over once a day.
  4. 4. After the meat has marinated, preheat the oven to 325°F.
  5. 5. Add the granulated sugar to the meat and marinade, cover, place on the middle rack of the oven, and roast until tender, about 4 hours.
  6. 6. Remove the meat from the pan and keep warm. Strain the liquid to remove the solids. Keep the liquid warm.
  7. 7. In a separate pan, melt the butter and add the flour. This is called a roux. Stir and cook for 10 minutes. Slowly whisk in the reserved cooked marinade.
  8. 8. While the sauce is simmering, add the crushed cookies and brown sugar. Adjust the flavor with salt, pepper, and extra cider vinegar as desired.
  9. 9. Slice the beef, and serve with the sauce.

Asian Beef with Orange

Yield: 4 servings

Rice vinegar rather than balsamic is usually associated with Asian cuisine. But it’s the balsamic vinegar’s sweetness and color that make this dish stand out.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Slice the beef and set aside. Combine the 1⁄2 cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of the sherry, the brown sugar, and cornstarch in a large bowl. Add the beef, coat each piece, and set aside.
  2. 2. Combine the scallions, garlic, and ginger in a small bowl. Set aside.
  3. 3. In another bowl, combine the stock, vinegar, granulated sugar, remaining 1 tablespoon sherry, and remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Set aside.
  4. 4. Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat, and add half of the beef (with no marinade), cook both sides, and remove. Repeat with the other half, and remove from the pan. Set aside.
  5. 5. Add a teaspoon of oil to the wok, and sauté the scallion mixture for 20 to 30 seconds.
  6. 6. Add the stock mixture and beef marinade to the pan, and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the broccoli, bell pepper, and onion, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked through.
  7. 7. Add the beef back into the pan with the orange zest. Heat through, and serve.

Braised Lamb Shanks

Yield: 4 servings

Lamb shanks used to be in the less-desirable category of “cheap cuts of meat” because they are tough. But by simmering these cuts in this process called braising, they will become very tender and flavorful.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
  2. 2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a deep ovenproof skillet or stockpot over medium heat and sauté the onions until they’re cooked through and caramelized, but not very browned. Lower the heat if the onions start to brown. Remove from the skillet when they’re cooked. This can take 30 minutes or longer and can be done a day ahead. Set aside.
  3. 3. While the onions are cooking, combine the wine, vinegar, mustard, chicken stock, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a separate bowl. Set aside.
  4. 4. Set the heat to high and add 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil to the skillet you cooked the onions in. Brown the lamb shanks on all sides, in two batches if necessary, adding more oil as needed.
  5. 5. When the lamb is browned, add the wine mixture and cooked onions to the skillet. Make sure the liquid comes at least halfway to two-thirds up the side of the lamb. If it doesn’t, add more wine or chicken stock. Cover with a lid and place in the oven for 2 to 21⁄2 hours, or until the lamb is cooked through and tender. Remove the lamb from the skillet, and cover with foil to keep warm.
  6. 6. Put the skillet with the sauce on the stove over medium-high heat, and bring to a light boil. Reduce the heat to medium, and simmer to reduce the sauce and intensify its flavor. This could take 5 to 15 minutes. Don’t add more salt until the sauce is reduced. If you add salt earlier, this could make the sauce too salty. Once the sauce is the flavor and consistency that you’d like, season to taste with salt and pepper.
  7. 7. If you’re preparing this at least a day in advance, refrigerate the sauce and meat. The fat will congeal on the surface. Skim it off before reheating and serving the sauce and lamb.

Desserts

Adding vinegar to a dessert may seem to contradict the primary function of vinegar, that is, to give the food a bit more of a zippy taste. The good news is that adding vinegar to a dessert will neither give it a zippy flavor nor make it less sweet. Its role in the baking is purely scientific and doesn’t affect the flavor of the food. The reason it’s in baked goods is to be a leavening agent, which is what helps baked goods rise (eggs, yeast, and baking soda/baking powder are more commonly used). As a visual comparison, think back to your childhood in elementary school. Whether it was you, or a classmate, someone always made a volcano for a science project. And they would make the volcano’s erupting lava with vinegar and baking soda. No, this is not how chocolate lava cakes are made. But the bubbling of the science class lava and the rising of baked goods with vinegar and baking soda are scientifically similar. And I guarantee that the baked goods will taste much better than science class lava!

Vinegar Butter Cookies

Yield: 31⁄2 dozen cookies

You can’t taste the vinegar, but it does help these cookies attain body and lightness.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two cookie sheets.
  2. 2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the vinegar and vanilla.
  3. 3. Combine the flour and baking soda in a separate bowl. Add to the butter mixture and mix well.
  4. 4. Scoop or roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets and flatten to a 1⁄4-inch thickness.
  5. 5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. Cool for 1 minute before removing from pans to cooling racks.

Wacky Cake

Yield: 10–12 servings

By most accounts, wacky cake was created on the home front during World War II when eggs and butter weren’t always available. The variations on wacky cake are abundant. Everyone has a favorite. For a mocha flavor, use 1 cup of cold coffee instead of water; or for an orange-chocolate flavor, add the zest of one orange to the flour mixture.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour an 8- by 8-inch pan and set aside.
  2. 2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, sugar, and salt.
  3. 3. Make three wells in the flour mixture. Pour the oil into one well, the vinegar into another, and the vanilla into the third.
  4. 4. Pour the cold water over the whole mixture and combine with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and there are no traces of unblended flour. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.
  5. 5. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  6. 6. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan, but this also does well served right from the pan. For a niftier look, sprinkle confectioners’ sugar over the cake before serving.

King Arthur’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yield: approximately 3 dozen cookies

For a slightly more intense flavor, lightly sprinkle some sea salt over the cookies before baking. Take these cookies out of the oven when the sides are barely golden brown and rest them in their pans for 5 minutes before placing them on cooling racks. This will give you a moist, chewy cookie.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two cookie sheets.
  2. 2. In a large bowl, combine the sugars, butter, shortening, salt, vanilla, almond extract, if using, vinegar, and baking soda, beating until smooth and creamy. Beat in the egg until smooth. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a spatula to make sure everything is thoroughly combined.
  3. 3. Mix in the flour, then the chips.
  4. 4. Use a spoon (or a tablespoon-sized cookie scoop) to scoop 11⁄4-inch balls of dough onto the prepared cookie sheets, leaving 2 inches between them on all sides.
  5. 5. Bake the cookies for 11 to 12 minutes until their edges are chestnut brown and their tops are barely a light golden brown, almost blonde. Remove them from the oven and cool in their pans until they’ve set enough to move without breaking, approximately 5 minutes.