Red Chamber Shrimp Veracruz
Balsamic Vinegar
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1/2 cup each finely diced green bell pepper and
red bell pepper
8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
11 teaspoon crushed chili flakes
11 teaspoon dried oregano
So many balsamic vinegars have been introduced in this country over the past few years
that it is sometimes hard to know which one to
buy. Be reminded that traditional preparation of
balsamic vinegar includes the must (the juice of
crushed grapes) that results from the cooking and
filtering of Trebbiano grapes, most specifically
those found in Modena, Italy.
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup sliced black olives
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pinch of black pepper
2 teaspoons each cornstarch and water, as needed
11. Heat oil in a large skillet. Sauté shrimp in batches
for 30 seconds on each side. Remove and set aside.
2. Next sauté the onion, bell pepper, garlic, chili
flakes, oregano and tomato until soft.
3. Add white wine and reduce by half.
4. Add tomato
sauce, olives
and chicken
broth, bring
to a boil, then
simmer for
another
5 minutes.
5. Adjust seasoning
with salt and black
pepper.
6. Thicken to taste with the cornstarch and
water mixture.
7. Add shrimp to this scrumptious sauce and cook
another minute. Serve over rice. Makes 6 servings.
Remember to store balsamico
Costco’s Kirkland Signature
private-reserve, a distinctly
sweet balsamic vinegar, is
prepared in the old-world
way with Trebbiano grapes,
in Modena, using centuries-old recipes and techniques,
including aging in wooden
casks for up to 15 years
before bottling. It is perfect
for salads.
in a cool, dry place. Use it to dress salads, marinate
meats and vegetables, and top off finished dishes
that call for an extra splash of flavor.
Dressed to Perfection
While many cooks reach for prepared salad
dressing, making your own is essentially an easy
endeavor, especially if you remember 3: 1, which
is the ratio generally accepted for mixing oil
and vinegar.
Oil and vinegar need one another. Oil has
a subtle taste and needs vinegar to awaken its
character. Conversely, vinegar needs oil to coat
its acidic base so that it can be distributed evenly;
otherwise, it would pool at the bottom of a plate.
Some prefer a stronger oil profile of 4: 1 and
even add a little wine or water to particularly
strong vinegar to tone it down. By the way, salt,
sugar and spices should be added to the oil
before its introduction to the vinegar.
Vinegar
Vocabulary
• Cider: All-purpose,
usually made from
fermented apple
cider, with a rather
pungent taste.
• White wine: Made
from white wine. It
is mild and mellow,
and it works well
with delicate flavors.
• Red wine: Made from
red wine. It has a robust
quality that is best
paired with strongly
flavored foods.
Remember that this
vinegar adds a delicate
reddish cast to dishes.
• Champagne vinegar:
Delicate, works well
in infusions, in which
herbs are cooked
with the vinegar and
then strained.
• Malt: All-purpose,
suitable for chutneys
and pickling.
• Rice: All-purpose,
made from fermented
rice; delicate, mild
and slightly sweet.
• Sherry: Sweeter and
more complex. Use
it on substantial
salads containing
meats, poultry,
cheeses or fruits.
• Balsamic: Dark,
pungent, sweet and
tart. This vinegar can
go solo, without oil.
