Recipe Roundup: Sigona’s Premium White Balsamic
White balsamic is made from the white Trebbiano grape from Modena, Italy. The grapes are picked late in the season for their high sugar content and are then aged in light oak barrels. White balsamic has all the unique notes, nuances and complexities of traditional balsamic, but without the color. It’s perfect for fish, salads and white sauces.
Simple Olive Tapenade
This simple condiment is delicious in many ways. Toss it with pasta, spread it on a baguette or cracker and top with roasted red peppers, or use it as a topping on roasted pork. It’s also great for pizzas or anything that could use a little salty, savory or umami factor. The white balsamic brightens the mix, and the Tuscan herb oil provides all the necessary herbaceousness in one shot. Makes about 2 ½ cups.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup pitted kalamata olives
- 1 cup pitted green olives, such as Castelvetrano
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 Tbsp capers, drained
- 1 Tbsp Sigona’s Premium White Balsamic
- ¼ cup Sigona’s Tuscan Herb Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- Zest and juice from half a lemon, to taste
Directions: Add the olives, parsley, garlic, capers and balsamic to a food processor. Pulse to incorporate. With the blade running, drizzle in the olive oil. Add the walnuts and pulse to desired texture. Finish with lemon zest and juice, to taste.
Serving suggestion: Toast slices of baguette, spread with a creamy cheese (goat or cream cheese), add a layer of tapenade and top with jarred roasted red peppers. Divine!
Watermelon & Tomato Salad with a White Balsamic Vinaigrette on a Bed of Butter Lettuce
Juicy, crisp, flavorful, salty-sweet. It’s hard to decide just how to describe this fantastic summer salad. It goes perfectly with grilled meats. As for the cheese, ricotta salata is another option, or leave it off for a dairy-free dish. Serves 4.
Vinaigrette:
- 1/2 cup Sigona’s Fresh Press Extra Olive Oil (Mix it up! Introduce another layer of flavor by using one of our infused oils, such as Garlic Oil, Meyer-Lemon Fusion Oil or Herbes de Provence Olive Oil.)
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup Sigona’s Premium White Balsamic (start with 1/4 cup and add more if you want more zing)
- About 2 Tbsp honey, such as Honey Hole Honey Co., raw, local, unfiltered honey, available only at Sigona’s
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- About 1/2 to 1 tsp. fresh minced or dried herbs and/or 1 clove garlic, to taste (dill, Italian mix or basil are nice)
Salad:
- 1 mini seedless watermelon, sliced into strips, cubes or triangles, rind discarded
- 1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes (different colors are lovely)
- 2 green onions, sliced on the bias
- 1 to 2 Tbsp minced fresh basil, to taste
- About 2 oz. myzithra or ricotta salata cheese, shaved (leave off for dairy-free)
- 4 to 8 leaves of butter lettuce
Directions: Add all vinaigrette ingredients together in a jar with a lid. Shake until the mixture is emulsified (thickened) and ingredients are well incorporated.
In a large bowl add the watermelon, tomato, green onion and basil. Add about 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette and gently toss to coat.
To serve, place a butter lettuce leaf or two on 4 individual salad or dinner plates. Top the lettuce with the watermelon salad; finish each dish with shaved myzithra. Serve remaining vinaigrette on the side.
Premium White Balsamic Vinaigrette
It’s handy to have a basic vinaigrette recipe up your sleeve, not to mention one sitting in the fridge ready to dress a salad, add flavor to roasted or steamed veggies, a sandwich or even fish. We like this one as it doesn’t add a dark color to a light salad or protein as a traditional balsamic would. Makes about 3/4 cup.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup Sigona’s Fresh Press Extra Olive Oil (Mix it up! Introduce another layer of flavor by using one of our infused oils, such as Garlic Oil, Meyer-Lemon Fusion Oil or Herbes de Provence Olive Oil.)
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup Sigona’s Premium White Balsamic (start with 1/4 cup and add more if you want more zing)
- About 2 Tbsp honey, such as Honey Hole Honey Co., raw, local, unfiltered honey, available only at Sigona’s
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- About 1/2 to 1 tsp. fresh minced or dried herbs and/or 1 clove garlic, to taste (dill, Italian mix or basil are nice)
Directions: Add all ingredients together in a jar with a lid. Shake until the mixture is emulsified (thickened) and ingredients are well incorporated. Use vinaigrette to dress a green or jar salad, toss with steamed or roasted vegetables or even drizzle over fresh fish or chicken. It’s also fantastic on sandwiches.
Simple Spinach & Strawberry Salad with Ragged Point Cheese and a White Balsamic Vinaigrette
Stepladder Creamery’s Ragged Point cheese is a buttery, fluffy, triple creme cheese that will melt in your mouth. Our cheese buyer John Nava says this cheese eats like a fluffy cloud and tastes like heaven — how can you resist? If you’re not eating it in a salad, it’s fantastic spread on a baguette and enjoyed with a sparkling wine.
- Spinach & Strawberry SaladBaby Spinach (About 1 generous handful per serving)
- Fresh strawberries, stemmed and quartered (at least two berries per serving)
- Pecan halves (look for plain, roasted or flavored pecans in our dried fruit & nut section!)
- Ragged Point cheese by Stepladder Creamery (a few slices per serving)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Premium White Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- 1/2 cup Sigona’s Fresh Press Extra Olive Oil (Mix it up! Introduce another layer of flavor by using one of our infused oils, such as Garlic Oil, Meyer-Lemon Fusion Oil or Herbes de Provence Olive Oil.)
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup Sigona’s Premium White Balsamic (start with 1/4 cup and add more if you want more zing)
- About 2 Tbsp honey, such as Honey Hole Honey Co., raw, local, unfiltered honey, available only at Sigona’s
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- About 1/2 to 1 tsp. fresh minced or dried herbs and/or 1 clove garlic, to taste (dill, Italian mix or basil are nice)
Directions: Add all vinaigrette ingredients together in a jar with a lid. Shake until the mixture is emulsified (thickened) and ingredients are well incorporated.
For the salad, add the spinach to a large bowl and drizzle a half teaspoon of vinaigrette per serving of spinach, being careful not to overdress or the spinach will be soggy). Using your hands, toss the spinach until each leaf is lightly coated.
Add portions of the spinach to individual serving plates. Top with quartered strawberries, slices of cheese and pecans. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, if desired. Serve remaining vinaigrette on the side.
Creamy Strawberry-Balsamic Salad Dressing
Imagine this drizzled over the top of a leafy green & berry salad with feta, or even as a sauce served with fish, such as halibut or salmon. Delicious! Adapted from the California Strawberry Commission. Serves about 5.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cup quartered fresh strawberries
- 1 Tbsp minced shallot
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, such as Fage
- 2 Tbsp Sigona’s Premium White Balsamic (Mix it up! Use one of our other white balsamics, such as Summertime Peach, Mango, Golden Pineapple, Grapefruit or Sicilian Lemon)
- 2 Tbsp orange juice
- 1 Tbsp Sigona’s Fresh Press Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Optional: Add 1 Tbsp basil or mint if you think the flavors would work with your dish
Directions: Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until it is as smooth as you’d like. Serve chilled.
Lemon-Garlic Roasted Organic Cabbage Steaks
Why not change up your St. Patty’s Day feast this year with a new twist to the cabbage dish? As with other vegetables, roasting cabbage brings out its sweeter side and creates a soft texture. Serves 4 to 6.
Ingredients:
- 1 head of green organic cabbage
- About 4 Tbsp Sigona’s Meyer-Lemon Fusion Olive Oil, plus a little more, for drizzling
- 2 – 3 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
- Salt and pepper, to taste
NOTE: If you’d like a little something to drizzle over the top of the cabbage steaks, see the recipe below for a chive-mustard vinaigrette. It’s also fantastic as a dip for corned beef.
Directions: Preheat oven to 425°F.
Stand the cabbage upright and slice from the top down to make 1-inch thick slices (the steaks). You’ll probably have five good slices. Arrange them in a single layer on a large, lightly greased baking sheet.
Rub each side of each of the steaks with crushed garlic, and then liberally brush each side of each steak with the oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Roast the cabbage steaks 15 to 20 minutes. Flip over and roast another 10 to 15 minutes or until the edges of the leaves are nicely browned and the rest of the steak is tender. The cabbage can brown quickly, so keep an eye on it.
While still hot, drizzle each slice with a little olive oil. Serve while hot or at room temperature.
Chive-Mustard Vinaigrette
This vinaigrette is delicious drizzled over roasted cabbage or as a dip for corned beef. It’s perfect for your St. Patrick’s Day feast. Recipe adapted from Eating Well. Serves about 2 to 4.
Ingredients:
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp Sigona’s Premium White Balsamic or Sigona’s Sicilian Lemon White Balsamic
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 Tbsp minced fresh chives
- 2 Tbsp Sigona’s Fresh Press Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Directions: Mix together Dijon, balsamic, lemon juice salt and pepper. Stir in chives and olive oil, and mix well until combined.
Serve as a dip for corned beef or as a drizzle* for lemon-garlic roasted cabbage steaks.
*NOTE: If serving over the roasted cabbage steaks, drizzle on vinaigrette while the cabbage is still hot.
