Citrus Vinegars

It is spring in Texas! The wildflowers are out, the chickens are laying, and the tube tops have emerged from the depths of my closet!

It is also time for everything light and refreshing -

Here is the easiest thing you will make all season: Citrus Vinegars

This was shown to me by my fellow Bastyrian & current housemate, Jeanette.

What you need:

1 large mason jar

Vinegar to fill jar

Rind of several citrus fruits

Step 1: Cut the rind from the citrus fruit and place in jar,

Step 2: Cover the rind with vinegar and put a lid on the jar,

Step 3: Let sit for 20-30 days or until desired potency is reached,

Step 4: Strain (or not) and enjoy!

Tip: Don't go buy a bunch of lemons or limes just for this, just have a jar of vinegar sitting around and add rind to it every time you happen to be using a lemon for something else!

Now what do you do with your creation?

Add it to:

Salad Dressing

Salsa

Marinades

Stir-fry

Pasta Sauces

What you are basically doing with flavored vinegars is pulling out the flavor compounds (in this case the terpene 'limonene') from the rind with a solvent (acetic acid). Terpenes are compounds in plants expressed to deter insects and bacteria and are therefore expressed best in environments in the absence of chemical insecticides or the like. Besides just smelling good, terpenes contribute to the positive health benefits associated with citrus fruits! (Citrus fruits are highly researched for their cancer protective qualities.)

The shelf life of a natural product is shorter than what we are becoming use to on the market shelf. With time, the compounds break down and are prone to oxidation (this is why you want to keep your oils and natural products out of sunlight!), so be sure to date your creations. Use your vinegars within 6 months, give or take. Though honestly, unless you make a truckload, I doubt you could hold onto them that long! Mmm Mm.

Oh yeah, and whenever using the rind of a fruit, please buy organic or scrub the dickens out of it.

UPDATE: MARCH 22, 2010 4:09 PM

I jumped the gun a bit and used some of the lemon vinegar I made a week ago for a cabbage slaw. It was DELICIOUS! Here's the recipe:

1/2 head cabbage, slivered
6 green onions, chopped
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 head ciliantro, chopped

1. Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl.

1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup lemon vinegar
pinch salt
dash pepper
1 chipotle pepper, chopped (canned: chipotle in adobo)

2. Mix dressing with fork until homogenous
3. Pour dressing over cabbage mixture and toss to coat
4. Enjoy!