Balsamic Vinegar

The dark, sweet, complex taste of balsamic vinegar might bring to mind visions of the gourmet variety, and making this ingredient a part of your home kitchen is not hard, if you know what to look for and how to use it. Scott Myers, former executive chef at Pairings restaurant (which closed just before press time), says the balsamic vinegar you'll want to buy will depend on what you're going to do with it.

If you want to use balsamic to add a bit of tang to a salad dressing or marinade-or even as the finishing touch in a pot of chili-then you will be satisfied with the less-expensive versions at the grocery store. Be warned, though, that these are usually not aged as long as their pricier balsamic cousins, which are thick, rich and naturally sweet. They can also have added sugar, so they aren't good for drizzling over food or eating with garlic and olive oil as a condiment for good bread. Well-aged balsamic is also tasty when paired with the sharpness of an aged Parmesan cheese. (Find high-end balsamic at a gourmet market such as Brown Derby International Wine Center or a website such as williams-sonoma.com, which sells an 8.8-ounce bottle of gold-label aceto balsamico from Modena, Italy, aged 10 years, for $42.)

Myers offers up a recipe from the menu at Pairings, so you can try your hand at using balsamic vinegar at home in a new way. For this type of recipe, Myers says it's fine to use a good store-bought balsamic.

Pairings Roasted Shitake Salad

To prepare mushrooms: Toss about two pounds of fresh shitake mushrooms in olive oil, then roast until soft (about 20 minutes) in a 350º oven. Set aside.

To prepare vinaigrette and salad:
three cups balsamic vinegar
one shallot, sliced
four sprigs of rosemary, whole
six juniper berries, crushed
three cloves of garlic, sliced
one red onion, sliced into rounds 1/8-inches thick

Mix all ingredients except the onions. Lay the onions in the mixture, and let them marinate overnight. The next day, lightly grill the onions. Place them in a pan and cover with the balsamic mixture. Cook on medium heat on the stove until the liquid is a syrupy consistency (at least 10 to 15 minutes). Add salt to taste. Pour the balsamic mixture and onions over the roasted mushrooms. Finish by adding 1/16 teaspoon (about three drops) of white truffle oil, and serve with a slice of aged pecorino cheese.