Cooking Lesson #220: Insalata Caprese de Valentine With Chocolate-Balsamic Vinaigrette

… from The California Kitchen

How you doin’? I’m doing just great when I get the opportunity to mix and match different ingredients, especially when they are both ancient ingredients. That’s the case in this recipe using Chocolate and Balsamic Vinegar.
 
The original Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale is made from cooked white Trebbiano grape juice and is not a vinegar in the usual sense. It has been made in Modena and Reggio Emilia since the Middle Ages (as early as 1046). Balsamic vinegar is highly praised and most often used by chefs and food lovers in cooking or straight over the plate.
 
I most often use Balsamic vinegar for salad dressings and meat marinades together with a little olive oil. For Valentine’s Day I “dreamed” up a wonderful dressing using two of these ancient ingredients. I found the two flavors to be complimentary resulting in one of the most delicious dressings ever tasted for a Caprese Salad. You can put the whole thing together in less than 30 minutes and the results will be winning you praise for many Valentine’s Days to come. 
 
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooling Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 2 servings
 
Ingredients:
For the Balsamic Reduction

1 cup balsamic vinegar
 
For the Chocolate Vinaigrette
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chocolate pastilles or pieces (64% to 70%)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (about 5 turns on a grinder)
1 tablespoon extra-fine granulated sugar
1/3 cup balsamic reduction
 
For the Caprese Salad:
6 slices large beefsteak tomato, thinly sliced
6 slices fresh mozzarella
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
6 fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons chocolate vinaigrette
 
Directions:
For the Balsamic Reduction

1. Place the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced by about two-thirds.
3. Set aside and let cool to room temperature. Once cooled, the reduction should be a light syrup consistency.

To make the Vinaigrette

1. Place the olive oil in a glass bowl and heat in a microwave for 45-60 seconds.
2. Add the chocolate to the olive oil and whisk together until they form a nice smooth emulsion.  Set aside and cool to room temperature.
3. In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, sugar and balsamic vinegar reduction.  Whisk until the sugar is dissolved.
4. While whisking, slowly drizzle the cooled oil and chocolate mixture into the vinegar reduction.
5. Hold at room temperature and set aside.

Assembling the Salad

1. Starting with tomato, alternate slices of tomato, basil leaves and mozzarella on a dinner plate. Three slices of each for each serving.
2. Season with the salt and pepper.
3. Drizzle one tablespoon of the vinaigrette over and around the tomatoes and mozzarella on each plate—more if you dare.

ChefSecret:  An easy way to see if your vinegar has reduced enough is to dip the back of a metal spoon into the vinegar and let it cool for a minute.  Then run your finger along the back of the spoon to check its consistency. If the swipe mark holds without running at all then your vinegar is ready. The French say that your sauce has reached the nappé stage.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “It’s the first of the month and I thought I was feeling a little sluggish and decided to go to the doctor for a check-up. As he was giving me my physical the doctor said, “Don’t eat anything, fatty.” I said, “Like bacon and burgers?” He said, No FATTY, don’t eat anything! Some people are just cruel!”

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