A couple of months ago, we spent a long weekend in Missoula, Montana where I picked up 8 new spice mixes from a great little restaurant/shop called The Silk Road. I still have no idea what to do with most of them, and it’s been really fun experimenting a bit. I started with the Garam Masala which was one of the only ones I had any experience with, and it turns out that I love Garam Masala with all things sweet, especially fruit! I know as soon as pumpkin season hits, I’ll be experimenting with that combination as well. I’ve been making candied nuts/seeds to add to my salads for years, but it’s never before occurred to me to add a little spice into the mix. The Garam Masala leaves a hint of cinnamon that’s wonderful when paired with juicy sweet raspberries and creamy avocado. I topped it all off with a white balsamic vinaigrette, because white balsamic vinegar is so underrated, and it pairs really well with subtle flavors. I almost never use white balsamic, instead always reaching for the traditional balsamic, but this salad has me really rethinking my strategy. The catalyst that started my white balsamic revival was a birthday present from my sister of a lovely bottle of Sicilian Lemon White Balsamic Vinegar that she carefully paired with a Tarragon Olive Oil. This combination has my eyes rolling up in the back of my head every time I taste it, and all of a sudden I’m eating salad every single day! You can have this particular combination (which is fabulous on this salad) for yourself if you’d like, she purchased them from a local oil and vinegar store called Genesis Kitchen, and they have a truly tasty selection. I kept the vinaigrette simple for this recipe, but if you do have some specialty vinegars around they really elevate a simple salad to the next level.
The vinaigrette for this recipe follows the same design as my 2 Ingredient Balsamic Vinaigrette. Ever since I discovered I could shake my vinaigrette together in seconds in a glass jar, it’s become my favorite salad dressing for it’s convenience and great flavor.
Another great thing to do with white balsamic vinegar, is make a balsamic reduction out of it like you would with normal balsamic vinegar. It has the same intense kind of flavor and syrupy texture as a the regular version, but it’s better suited for subtle flavors where it won’t overwhelm. You can make it by pouring an entire bottle (12 ounces) into a saucepan and simmering it until it’s syrupy (about 20 minutes). Then I just pour it into a squeeze bottle and store it in the fridge. It’s fun to use it on a Caprese Salad because you can fully appreciate the fresh mozzarella and garden fresh tomatoes! 5 from 3 reviews
