Recipe: Herb Vinegars (7)

Herbed Vinegar

1 Bunch fresh parsley
10-12 fresh jalapeno peppers, cut in half lengthwise
10-12 large cloves garlic, cut in half lengthwise
1 large sweet red peppers, cut in strips
1 lemon, sliced
2 (17 ounce) bottles white wine vinegar
Parsley sprigs, jalapeno peppers, garlic, pepper strips, lemon slices

Place first 6 ingredients in a large class container. Bring vinegar to a
boil, and pour over parsely mixture. Cover and store at room temperature
for 2 weeks. Pour vinegar mixture through a wire mesh strainer into
bottles, discarding solids. If desired, add additional parsley sprigs,
jalapeno peppers, garlic cloves, pepper strips, and lemon slices.
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Cranberry Spice Vinegar

3 (17 ounce) bottles white wine vinegar
1 cup cranberry juice
1/2 cup sugar
3 (3-inch) sticks cinnamon
1 (1.6 ounce) jar whole cloves
1 large orange, sliced
Additional orange slices, whole cloves, cinnamon sticks. Combine first 3
ingredients in a large nonaluminum saucepan. Bring to a boil place
cinnamon and remaining ingredients in a large glass container. Pour
vinegar mixture over spices. Cover and store at room temperature for 2
weeks. Pour vinegar mixture through a wire mesh strainer into bottles,
discarding solids. If desired, add additional orange slices, whole
cloves or cinnamon sticks to filled bottles.
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BASIL VINEGAR
3 to 4 Large Basil Sprigs per Bottle
1 Clove garlic, peeled, per Bottle
Red Wine Vinegar
Sterilized glass bottles and caps or corks
Carefully wash and dry the basil sprigs. Place 3 to 4 sprigs in each
bottle. With a small knife, make a small slit in each garlic clove. Add
1 clove to each bottle. Insert a funnel into the mouth of each bottle
and fill with vinegar. Cap or Cork the bottles and place them in a sunny
spot to "ripen" for 4 to 5 days. Store the vinegar in a cool dark place
for at least 6 weeks before using. The vinegar will keep indefinitely.
When giving as a gift, I cover the top of each bottle with gingham or
some other kind of fabric and tie with a ribbon. I either stencil the
bottle or use a decorate label on the bottle and attach a recipe for
using the vinegar.
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Raspberry Mint Vinegar

2 1/2 cups distilled white vinegar
1/4 cup packed fresh raspberries plus 1/4 cup loosely packed
3 T sugar
1/8 t fine sea salt
2 sprigs fresh mint
Thin wooden skewers
Sterilized 20 ounce bottle
In a saucepan, combine the vinegar, 1/4 cup of the raspberries, the
sugar, and salt and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes. Strain through
a sieve set over a bowl, pressing on the raspberries to extract as much
juice as possible. Set aside to cool slightly. Skewer the remaining
raspberries and place them in the bottle. Add the mint sprigs. Pour in
the raspberry vinegar. Cap or cork and place in a sunny spot for 8
hours. Place the vinegar in a dark place let it age for about 6 weeks
before using.

Southwest Vinegar

1 large bunch fresh cilantro.
10 to 12 fresh jalapeno peppers, unseeded and cut in half lengthwise
10 to 12 cloves garlic, cut in half lengthwise
1 lime, thinly sliced
10 to 12 dried tomato halves
1 t black peppercorns
5 (17 oz) bottles white wine vinegar
Fresh cilantro sprigs and lime slices (optional)
Twist cilantro stems gently. Place cilantro and next 5 ingredients in a
large glass container. Bring vinegar to a boil, and pour over cilantro
mixture. Cover and let stand at room temperature 2 weeks. Pour mixture
through a large wire-mesh strainer into decorative bottles, discarding
solids. Thread additional cilantro sprigs and lime slices onto wooden
skewers, if desired, and place in bottles. Seal bottles, and store in
a cool, dark place. Yield: 10 cups.
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Tomato-Herb Vinegar

10 large sprigs fresh rosemary
6 large sprigs fresh basil
4 large sprigs fresh oregano
12 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
10 dried tomato halves
1 t black peppercorns
3 (32 oz) bottles red wine vinegar
Fresh rosemary sprigs (optional)

Twist stems of herbs gently and press garlic with back of spoon. Place
herbs and garlic in a glass container. Add tomatoes and peppercorns. Set
aside. Bring vinegar to a boil, and pour over herb mixture. Cover
vinegar mixture and let stand at room temperaturea for 2 weeks.
Pour vinegar mixture through a large wire-mesh strainer into decorative
bottles, discarding solids. Add addtional rosemary sprigs if desired.
Seal bottles and store in a cool dark place. Yield; 11 cups
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Vinegar Recipe

This recipe came from a workshop my daughter and I attended. I grow the herbs and she makes the herbal
vinegars. You can heat the vinegar to slightly hot or you can use it at room temperature from the bottle.
Different vinegars give different results. White vinegar is more mild than apple cider vinegar which is
sweeter. This recipe is for a pint . . . we use more vinegar(up to a half gallon) and let the herbs set in it
longer. Clean the herbs, place is a large jar, cover with vinegar, put on a lid and place the jar in a dark
place for a week. At the end of that time taste the vinegar and see if the flavor is what you want. If not
strong enough, let set longer. Continue to taste till the flavor you want is reached. Strain vinegar through
clean cheese cloth and place in a decorative bottle (can be purchased at the local K-Mart or Walmart).
Label and use in salads or to deglaze a pan, thereby making a sauce you then pour over what ever meat you
prepared.

PACIFIC RIM VINEGAR

Uses Rice Wine Vinegar Base (purchase in the oriental food section of the grocery store) Save the bottle
- soak off the label - make the flavored vinegar in a quart jar and after you strain it, place the flavored
vinegar back in the Rice Wine Vinegar bottle.

1/2 c. lemon grass
1/2 c spearmint (3-4 inch tip cuttings)
1/2 c garlic chive leaves
1/2 c cinnamon basil
3 chili peppers
1 - 6 garlic cloves
5 1/8" slices ginger root
1 t. coriander seeds
1 t. fennel seed

Vinegar recipes

I love basil and garlic, so my favorite vinegar is guess what? Basil Garlic vinegar. Peel six to nine whole
garlic cloves and have a "handful" of nice basil leaves and stems. Heat the vinegar to just below boiling.
Bruise basil and put in bottle. Don't cram but fill loosely. I use champagne vinegar and just soak the label
off the bottle and reuse the bottle. Slip in garlic and fill with warm vinegar. When the vinegar is heated, it
will have reached good flavor in about 10 days. If the vinegar is cold, it takes a little longer but that is the
only difference so I am told. I keep a bottle of this on my counter with my other glass bottles of beans
and pastas.