Industrial-Strength Flavor

Italian balsamic vinegar is not as acidic as most vinegars, making it perfect to sprinkle over salads in place of high-calorie dressings.

But it also can come with a high price tag. Balsamic vinegar carries the prestige of being made in and around Modena, Italy, using a 1,000-year-old process. The citizens of this north-central Italian town treat their aceto balsamico tradizionale like fine wine. Only 5,000 bottles are produced annually.

The must of the trebbiano grape is cooked in copper pots over a direct fire. It’s filtered, boiled down to one-third its original volume and refiltered. Then it’s poured into wooden kegs to age for at least 12 years.

When I read that traditional balsamic vinegar can cost $100 a bottle from one of its two suppliers, Dean & DeLuca in New York and Corti Bros. in Sacramento, I checked the two bottles I had at home. Each cost less than $10; both have labels reading “Made in Modena, Italy” and are rich in color and flavor. I’ve heard that cheap imitations abound, made from diluted, fermented wine flavored with cane sugar, vanilla, licorice and caramel.

According to “The Balsamic Vinegar Cookbook,” by Meesha Halm (Collins, 1996), my lower-class versions are known as industriale, not as tasty and pure as the artisan style of traditional balsamic, but they fit my budget. A decent industriale tastes just fine on salads or grilled foods. It is, in fact, better for these uses because a finer, more pricey balsamic should be used sparingly--lightly sprinkled on a plain omelet or with a piece of Parmigiano-Reggiano--in a manner that showcases the flavor of the vinegar itself.

Carroll is the author of the “No Cholesterol (No Kidding!) Cookbook” (Rodale Press, 1991).

BALSAMIC BASTING SAUCE

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon grated ginger root

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

Use as a basting sauce for vegetables, such as eggplant or zucchini, while grilling.

Place honey, ginger, rice vinegar, balsamic vinegar and soy sauce in tightly lidded jar and shake well to combine.

About 1 cup. Each 1-tablespoon serving:

14 calories; 120 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 0 fat; 3 grams carbohydrates; 0 protein; 0.01 gram fiber.

CARROTS AND GREEN ONIONS IN BALSAMIC VINEGAR

1/4 cup dry Sherry or defatted stock

1/2 cup chopped green onions

2 large carrots, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon minced chives

This simple saute of carrots and green onions is an excellent side dish for grilled foods.

Heat Sherry in heavy 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until small bubbles appear. Add green onions and carrots and cook, stirring, until liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes.

Add vinegar and honey. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until carrots are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid scorching. Transfer to serving bowl and garnish with chives.

2 to 3 servings. Each of 3 servings:

85 calories; 18 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 0 fat; 10 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.68 gram fiber.

BALSAMIC PESTO

2 cups packed basil leaves

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup soft bread crumbs

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

This unusual pesto is adapted from Meesha Halm’s “The Balsamic Vinegar Cookbook.” I cut back on the oil by substituting bread crumbs as a thickener.

Combine basil, Parmesan, garlic, salt, pepper, oil and bread crumbs in food processor. Pulse to combine. Add vinegar and process until smooth.

6 servings. Each serving:

92 calories; 363 mg sodium; 6 mg cholesterol; 7 grams fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 0.02 gram fiber.