Balsamic Reduction with fig and tomatoes …… sounds weird and very odd, I know.

I have been thinking about this balsamic reduction for a while. Imagine if we can have ONE recipe for a variety of flavors. Then I can chop and change with the seasons or whatever I have available in my pantry. I am thinking apples, onions, figs, tomato, apricots, even peaches.

Which means is that you can make your cheese boards so interesting, by just changing the reductions. Never ever, do you have to eat a boring sandwich or steak again. Just think how cool there will as gifts.

Well-aged and expensive balsamic vinegar is very expensive.  Reductions mimic the more expensive balsamic vinegars but costs a fraction of the price! I think what makes my reductions slightly different is that I add fruit or vegetables to the reduction, it then becomes almost like a chutney. Which is the best of both worlds.

Basic Balsamic Reduction

makes about 200 ml

Ingredients

250 ml/ 1 cup of Olyfberg Balsamic Vinegar

60 ml / ¼ cup Klein Roosboom BF Noble Late Harvest 2017

45 ml / 3 T sugar

a cinnamon stick or 2 cloves or 1-2 bay leaves

Now add ONE of the following

250 ml baby tomatoes + 2 sprigs fresh oregano

or

6  small figs – quartered + 2 cm piece ginger grated

or

1 large red onion – thinly sliced + 1 sprig rosemary

or

1-2 beetroot – sliced in matchstix + 1 star anise

Method

In a medium sized stainless steel pot, add the balsamic vinegar and sugar and aromatics. I normally keep it simple by adding just one or two.Add the fruit or vegetables of your choice.

Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, then turn down the heat to keep at a low simmer. It will take about 12-15 minutes to thicken and reduce. Keep your eyes on the pot, because  near the end it can easily burn. When the reduction coats the back of a spoon, it is thick enough. Transfer to a glass jar and allow to cool.

Follow me on: