Infused Vinegars

Over the winter, I created infused vinegars for cleaning purposes, but now with seeds planted, I am eager to begin eating salad greens from the garden. Salad dressings are really expensive, and full of tons of additives, and there aren't many that I really like. How often have you bought a bottle of salad dressing, and either not liked it, or grew tired of the flavor, before the bottle was empty? Then, the bottle sat half full in the refrigerator for what seemed like forever, until you cleaned it out, and replaced it with a new one?

Chive flowers harvested this week 

Chive flowers in vinegar

I'll be checking this in a few weeks

If you cook, even infrequently, you probably have the ingredients right now to prepare your own vinaigrette. Making an infused vinegar is a cool way to do something fun in the kitchen with little expense or fuss.

Remember the Good Seasons bottle with the ingredient amount lines etched into the side of the bottle? Brilliant! They had us buying the bottle and the mix, and by adding water, vinegar, oil and a seasoning packet, you made your own dressing!

If you have your favorite dressing, I don't want to discourage you from enjoying it. However, if you want to consider trying something new, then read on. How about making your own vinaigrette for those salad greens this year? 

What kind of vinaigrette do you like? Fruit flavored? Simple lemon? Lime? Lime with a touch of mint? Whatever you can dream up, you've got this. Now is the time to infuse vinegar! In 2 to 4 weeks, you can build up your pantry with some awesome options for dressing those greens this summer.

First, let's start with vinegar. There are, I believe, 15 kinds of vinegar. The most common include distilled white,white wine, apple cider, red wine and balsamic. Others that you may or may not have heard of  include rice wine, raisin, sherry, beer and malt. 

Distilled White vinegar: the most cost effective and is good for most applications

White Wine Vinegar: Derived from white wine, it is less acidic then distilled white and apple cider vinegar. It's great for salad dressings and pickling vegetables.

White Balsamic Vinegar: this is sweeter than white wine vinegar and is a good option to use if you intend on making a sweeter flavored vinegar

Champagne Vinegar: this is a more expensive option, but the flavor is light and has a less acidic harsh flavor

Balsamic Vinegar: I love balsamic all on its own.  It is the only one that is made by aging pressed grapes in oak barrels. Its rich flavor will easily overpower light flavors but can stand up to stronger, sweet flavors. Think: strawberries.

Apple Cider Vinegar: This has a golden color and can add a tart but subtle flavor to salad dressings, coleslaw, and marinades.

Whichever vinegar you choose, it may be an obvious statement, but start with a vinegar that you like, as it will become your finished product.

Use a clean jar. Add your ingredients to the jar and pour over double the amount of vinegar (2:1 ratio). Cover with a non-reactive lid and store in a cool, dark, dry spot. Shake every couple of days for 2-4 weeks. taste, and strain the plant matter from the vinegar through a cheesecloth when the flavor is to your liking. Easy- right? Strained, infused vinegar will last 5-6 months in a clean, sealed container.

So, what now, you ask? What do I use? You can really use almost anything that you like and can dream up. You like lemon grass? How about lemon grass and ginger? How about simple ones like basil, lemon, rosemary, tarragon, mint?

Still not sure? Here is a list to get you started:

• Chive Flower
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Rosemary
• Mint
• Tarragon
• Thyme
• Oregano
• Lavender
• Lemon balm
• Shallot

Now I've infused my vinegar as you suggested. What do I do with it now? Combine with your favorite oil to make a vinaigrette. The basic ratio is 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. Splash over salad greens. Use as a marinade for meat, poultry or fish. How about on grilled vegetables or over a pasta salad?

Endless possibilities!!