Balsamic and Oil Dip?

pixie1

I was lucky enough to be taken out for a yummy meal recently and as a pre meal dish they gave us chunks of bread and a what i thought was balsamic and oil for dipping.

Ive tried to replicate this at home but mine tastes really sharpe and nasty??

Does anyone know which types i need to use so its yummy?

Thanks

Pix

NoahsPennilessMummy

you need an aged balsamic which is more mellow than sharp....and dont use too much vinegar as it is very strong.
I could eat a whole ciabatta to myself like this:o

silvermaid

When I make this I use an aged balsamic vinegar from Modina (sp?) that my Italian DDIL gave me - it pours like syrup.
I use a ratio of 1 teaspoon of vinegar (5ml) to 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil (15ml).
I have heard that some people substitute sherry vinegar for balsamic, but I haven't tried this.
Hope that helps, Silver

hex2

Pixie,

My OH was somewhere last week and insisted we replicated this. My basic mild olive oil with aldi/lidl balsamic was nice, nicer still was substituting some more expensive 'taste the difference' balsamic. The taste the difference extra virgin olive oil was realy strong tasting and horrid, and I would take it back if I had time.

Nottoobadyet

I replicate it at home using normal oil and basalmic, but add some salt (flaked salt broken between my fingers and sprinkled on) and chili flakes. Its lush.

MrsE_2

Nice with some finely chopped herbs too.

pixie1

Thank you all so much, im going to try and make this again in the week as a starter for one of our dinners - Hubs will think we've gone all posh lol.

Thanks again

Pix x

likklegibbon

Try Balsamic glaze - its a sweeter sticker version like a reduction and sinks to the bottom of an oil mix - i've got most of my colleagues at work hooked - looks almost like chocolate sauce and is great drizzled over fish, chicken and salads - most supermarkets have it but usually next to chilli sauces not vinegars

HTH

mineallmine

likklegibbon wrote: »

Try Balsamic glaze - its a sweeter sticker version like a reduction and sinks to the bottom of an oil mix - i've got most of my colleagues at work hooked - looks almost like chocolate sauce and is great drizzled over fish, chicken and salads - most supermarkets have it but usually next to chilli sauces not vinegars

HTH

I can recommend the Waitrose one. Can't remember the price but it lasts ages. It's near all their cooks herbs and spices. I pour it over home made garlic bread. Yum!

With the oil and vinegar thing I would do a number of little dishes or saucers - and change the quantities for each. When I've added too much balsamic I add more oil. For info I use Lidl olive oil. Best of luck!

puddy

i wonder if its actually your oil, some taste a bit sharp. personally (this is almost heresy), i much prefer greek and spanish olive oil to italian.

yes the balsamic needs to be a sweet aged version, you could also try reducing what you already have in a pan to see if it sweetens it and thickens it, like red wine reduction sort of thing

meritaten

agree with above posters - taste your balsamic vinegar and see if its mellow or sharp. then taste the olive oil - I have bought expensive olive oils which were horrid! the one i use at the mo is from Aldi - in the tall black bottle (but I actually prefer the taste of the other one they carry in the clear bottle) although it may suit some, I find it too fruity! would prob go nicely with balsamic vinegar though.

Olive oils are like wine - a lot depends on where they were produced, and the ripeness etc of the Olive.........just like wine they have their own characteristics. you may find you prefer one brand for cooking with and another for making dressings.