Caramelized Balsamic Vinaigrette

Tuesday, January 12, 2010 by Marianne 2 Comments

There’s only one word for Brie (or any cheese) topped with this vinaigrette – YUMMMMMMMM!  In the recipe description in Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons mentions that its “flavor threw me straight into food heaven.”  I couldn’t have said it better myself!

Before you begin making this recipe, make sure you have everything measured and set aside.

The base of the dressing is a caramel, and caramels go very quickly from golden and delicious to burnt.

To build the caramel, combine sugar and water:

Bring them to a boil…

…and cook until the mixture turns a light golden brown color.

Watch your sugar/water mixture like a hawk – it can burn in the blink of an eye! Also, be *very* careful when near the sugar/water mixture – it boils at a much higher temperature than water, and if any of it touches your skin it will BURN!

Remove the mixture from the heat and slowly and carefully whisk in balsamic vinegar.

Once the vinegar is incorporated, whisk in some olive oil.

Add garlic, salt and pepper. Enjoy spooned over cheese or as a dressing for the most amazing salad you’ve ever eaten!

Caramelized Balsamic Vinaigrette
Recipe courtesy of Vegetarian Planet

• 1 cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons water
• 5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Combine the sugar and 4 tablespoons of the water in a heavy saucepan that can hold at least 2 quarts of liquid. Bring the mixture to a boil. As soon as it turns a light golden color take the pan off the heat.

Slowly and carefully whisk in the balsamic vinegar.  Keep your face and body as far from the pot as possible in case the caramel splatters. If little sugar balls appear in the syrup it indicates that some of the sugar has crystallized. Put the pan back on the heat and stir until the sugar balls dissolve, remove any that don’t.

With the pan off the heat, and while whisking constantly, slowly add the olive oil in a thin stream, about pencil-width thick. Next, whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of water. Then add the garlic, salt, and pepper.

The dressing should be fully emulsified by this point. It is ready to use now, but if you need to store it; chill it in a covered container.  You can then either warm the dressing to thin it or serve it chilled.

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