HOW TO MAKE BALSAMIC VINEGAR PEARLS

How to Make Balsamic Vinegar Pearls image

Want to have fun... Want to feel like a real mad scientist in the kitchen? Then how about a little molecular gastronomy... you game? Molecular gastronomy is a part of food science that attempts to push the edges of the culinary arts. The three components of the discipline are social, artistic, and technical. Other terms are:...

Provided by Andy Anderson !

Time 40m

Number Of Ingredients 3

Ingredients

7 oz balsamic vinegar
0.5 oz powered agar agar, or about 1.5 tablespoons
2 c canola oil, any good oil will do

Steps:

1. Gather your ingredients.
2. Add the oil to a container, and place into the freezer for 30 minutes.
3. Chef's Note: The container should be tall... that will give the balsamic vinegar droplets time to form and cool before reaching the bottom.
4. Chef's Tip: Wait until the oil has been in the freezer for about thirty minutes, before performing the remaining steps.
5. Put the balsamic into a saucepan, and bring to a lite simmer.
6. Add the agar agar and whisk to combine.
7. Chef's Note: What is agar agar: It's a gelatinous substance extracted from red seaweed and used in biological culture media and as a thickener in foods. It's very popular in molecular gastronomy.
8. Chef's Tip: You can find agar agar in most oriental food stores, or on the Internet. http://www.amazon.com/Agar-Powder-Ounces-Excellent-Strength/dp/B007PJAOG4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1430395821&sr=8-2&keywords=agar+agar
9. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer.
10. Allow the sauce to lightly simmer for about 5 minutes.
11. Remove from heat, and allow to rest for five minutes.
12. Add the balsamic sauce to a vessel capable of producing small drops.
13. Allow the sauce to drop to 130f (55c), give or take a few degrees.
14. Chef's Tip: If the liquid is too hot, the droplets may not cool down enough and therefore not gel completely before reaching the bottom of the glass, resulting in deformed spheres. I HATE it when that happens.
15. Remove the oil from the freezer, and add the sauce, drop-by-drop to the cold oil.
16. Continue until you have as many drops as you need.
17. Wait a bit, and then carefully drain the oil off, and remove the pearls from the oil.
18. Chef's Note: Use them in any way that you would use balsamic vinegar... but in a creative way. Enjoy. https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/appetizer/vegetable-appetizer/tomato-mozzarella-with-balsamic-pearls.html
19. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.