Grilled Asparagus With Reduced Balsamic Vinegar Recipe (2024)
Last update: By Alice Currah33 Comments
It’s so funny how kids develop certain ways of eating certain foods without rhyme or reason. When I was a kid, the only way to eat asparagus was to eat the bloom-like spear heads first before eating the long woodsy shoots. I felt so rebellious, like a child who insisted on eating dessert first. I find it somewhat ironic that my own children insist on eating only the shoots. They find the heads disgusting. I don’t get it, don’t they realize the tops are the best part? It’s like eating the outside of a cinnamon roll only to leave the gooey center on the plate because you find it disgusting. To each their own.
Lately, I’ve seen an abundance of asparagus on sale everywhere, which is always a great incentive for me to pick up a few bunches. My preferred method of preparing asparagus is by grilling them with a little olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper. I’ll serve them alongside grilled salmon, chicken, or steak with a side of roasted potatoes or brown rice. Keeping it simple is how I like to cook. But there are occasions when I will want to mix it up a little bit. Sometimes I will squeeze fresh lemon juice over asparagus just off the grill. Other times I like to add Nicoise Olive Sea Salt, one of my most treasured flavored salts by Secret Stash Salt.
But last night I was browsing through Cristina Ferrare’s Big Bowl of Love: Delight Family and Friends with More than 150 Simple, Fabulous Recipes just before it was time to make dinner. When I saw her recipe for Grilled Asparagus with Balsamic Syrup, it was just the inspiration I needed to jazz up my usual grilled asparagus with very little extra work.
After grilling the asparagus to a crunchy yet but cooked texture, I plated it and drizzled just a little bit of the balsamic vinegar reduction over everything. It added just enough zing with a slight sweet undertone to compliment my grilled asparagus perfectly. Within three minutes of setting my vegetable plate down, all the asparagus disappeared. And in case you’re wondering whether or not my kids ate the spears whole, they still left the tops on their plate. But don’t worry, I took care of them without the slightest bit of guilt or hesitation. If they’re okay with it, I’m okay with it… even though it was like taking candy from a baby.
Here’s the recipe I used last night. I barely adapted it from Cristina Ferrare’s Big Bowl of Love cookbook released last week. My thoughts about this gorgeous cookbook justifies a separate post I plan on publishing later this week. So stay tuned!
Preheat grill on medium-high heat. Coat the asparagus with olive oil using your hands. Season with salt and pepper. Coat the grill with olive oil. Spread asparagus across the grill and cook for 3 minutes. Turn the asparagus over and cook for an additional 3 minutes or until asparagus is slightly crunchy, not soft.
Remove from grill and transfer to a platter. Drizzle the balsamic vinegar syrup over the asparagus before serving. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
**Balsamic Syrup Instructions: While asparagus is cooking, prepare the balsamic syrup by cooking ½ cup balsamic vinegar on medium heat until it thickens and forms a syrup like consistency, about 3-4 minutes. Be careful not to let it thicken too much or it will turn into black goop.
***To roast the asparagus in the oven, follow the instructions above except cook the asparagus in a preheated 450 degree oven. Cook for 15-20 minutes.
When you reduce balsamic vinegar, you're actually evaporating the water and concentrating the sugars. So it's naturally sweetened. That makes it perfect to drizzle on veggies, brush on meat, serve as a dip with aged cheeses (or fruit) or dollop on ice cream.
If your asparagus is soggy after grilling, it means you overcooked it. Only leave asparagus on the grill for a few minutes. When done, it should have a slight char, a bright green color, and be tender when pierced with a fork.
Heat a skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cut 6 to 8 cleaned and trimmed medium asparagus spears into 2-inch lengths. Add olive oil or butter to pan; when hot, add asparagus, season generously with salt and pepper and cook about 3 to 4 minutes, until bright green, shaking or stirring the pan frequently.
We can say that aged balsamic vinegar has an indefinite shelf life. However, it would be convenient to use the product once opened, within two to three years, and the one that has yet to be opened, within five years. After that time, its color may change, and the flavor will no longer be as bright and fresh as before.
Balsamics' enemies are light and heat, so cool, dark storage spaces are best. If you're using balsamic vinegars primarily for salads and like them chilled, they can be refrigerated. If you're using them for sauces, marinades, and reductions, store them in a cupboard.
Add the vinegar to a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring often, until thick and reduced, about 8 to 12 minutes. The timing will depend on your desired thickness. The balsamic will also thicken as it cools.
Stand the spears upright in a glass containing 1-2cm of water, cover with a plastic bag and store in the fridge. If space is an issue, wrap the spears in a clean, damp tea towel and store in the crisper section of the fridge. This way your asparagus spears will stay crisp for up to three days.
Asparagus contains potassium, an important nutrient for keeping your heart, bones, kidneys and nerves functioning and healthy. You may be surprised to learn that this stalky vegetable also consists of a compound called asparaptine, which may help improve blood flow, in turn lowering blood pressure.
Fortunately, there's no wrong answer—it's all about personal preference. Thin asparagus is tender with a slightly crisp center; thick asparagus has a meatier center meaning more crunch and texture. Just make sure to select uniformly sized spears for even cooking.
If the vinegar smells off or has a moldy odor, it's time to throw it out. Taste: You can taste the vinegar to see if it's still good. Good quality balsamic vinegar should have a complex flavor that is both acidic and sweet, with a vanilla ice cream-like sweetness.
Traditional balsamic vinegar can be used in tiny amounts as a condiment with cooked or cured meats, grilled fish, drizzled over fresh fruits and berries and even ice cream or other custard desserts—or even just sipped from tiny shot glasses at the end of a meal.
Good quality balsamic vinegar will have its ingredients listed as “Grape must, tradizionale'. This means that it has been aged for at least 12 years, and the vinegar will thick and sweet. Cheaper vinegar will be combined with a wine vinegar, caramel, flavourings and other ingredients.
Add 1 cup balsamic vinegar to a small saucepan. Bring to a rapid simmer over medium heat, then reduce to medium-low and cook at a low bubble, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 15 minutes. You'll know it's ready when it coats the back of a metal spoon.
Balsamic vinegar is an intensely flavored vinegar made from grapes. It is often used to make balsamic glaze or reduction. Balsamic reduction is made by allowing balsamic vinegar to simmer for around 15-20 minutes. It also requires some aromatics to make it more flavorful.
In the case of a balsamic reduction, the high acid and sugar content will stop bacterial growth. Since the reduction also contains acid, anything that could have been oxidized has already oxidized. Therefore a balsamic reduction should last pretty much forever.
Takeaway. Balsamic vinegar is a safe food additive that contains no fat and very little natural sugar. It's been proven effective to lower cholesterol and stabilize blood pressure. Some research suggests it can also work as an appetite suppressant, and it contains strains of probiotic bacteria.
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just before it was time to make dinner. When I saw her recipe for Grilled Asparagus with Balsamic Syrup, it was just the inspiration I needed to jazz up my usual grilled asparagus with very little extra work.