I recently got some family members hooked on vomFASS Fig Chili Balsamic Vinegar, and now they are clamoring for more ideas and recipes for using it!
My first love is to use Fig Chili as a seasoning for burgers – beef, bison, turkey – name
your protein! Mix your burger meat as usual, and add about 2 tablespoons of Fig Chili Balsamic per pound of meat. It adds great flavor and a little bit of kick to your burger.
Then, make some balsamic glazed onions with Fig Chili Balsamic to top the burger, add some bleu or gorgonzola cheese, (and bacon, if you’re feeling really decadent!) and you just made the best burger in town!
Balsamic Glazed Onions
1 large sweet onion thinly sliced
2 T. vomFASS Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 T. vomFASS Aceto Balsamico Platinum
vomFASS Himalayn Salt and Peppercorn Mix to taste
In medium sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, salt and pepper and toss to coat. Sauté until onions are soft and semi translucent – about 10 minutes. Add Aceto Balsamico Platinum. Stir to coat onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and caramelized.
I recommend doubling this recipe, as these are great on salads, sandwiches, pizza, in mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs – chime in with your own ideas for using them!
Other quick and easy ideas:
- Drizzle Fig Chili Balsamic on tomato soup – homemade or purchased. One of my go-to convenience foods is the Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup from Costco – its gluten free and organic, and with a pop of extra flavor from Fig Chili Balsamic, it’s delicious! (Don’t forget to dip your grilled cheese sandwich in it!)
- Use Fig Chili Balsamic as your “secret sauce,” to season roasted meats, steaks and poultry.
- My favorite olive oil to pair with Fig Chili Balsamic is vomFASS Orange Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Lemon EVOO is a good alternative to Orange. Use as a marinade for grilled chicken or shrimp, or as a vinaigrette for a Southwest salad, or quinoa salad.
- Drizzle on pizza, roasted veggies, caprese salad, fish tacos, and yes – even ice cream! Wow, yum!
Here are some more recipes. Let me know what YOU make with this sweet + heat all-star balsamic!
Grilled Fish with Balsamic Marinade
¼ cup vomFASS Madonia or Don Carlos Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ cup vomFASS Avocado Oil
¼ cup vomFASS Fig-Chili Balsamic Vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp dried parsley (or 1 Tbsp fresh, chopped)
1/8 tsp vomFASS Sea Salt
1/8 tsp fresh ground vomFASS Peppercorn Mix
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
In small mixing bowl, whisk together all ingredients until well mixed and emulsified. Place fish fillets into large zip-lock bag. Pour marinade over fish, distributing well. Refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. Remove fish from marinade when ready to cook. Discard any remaining marinade. Grill according to package directions.
Fig Chili Shrimp or Chicken Serves 4
1 lb. raw shrimp or cubed chicken
3 T. vomFASS Orange Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 T. vomFASS Fig Chili Balsamic
1 clove minced garlic
½ t. vomFASS Danish Smoked Sea Salt, divided
Freshly ground vomFASS Peppercorn Mix, to taste
Combine oil, vinegar, garlic, half the salt and a few cranks of ground pepper in a glass bowl with cover or plastic zip bag. Add shrimp or chicken and marinate 15 – 20 minutes. Do not marinate shrimp longer; chicken may be marinated up to two hours. Empty contents of bag or bowl into a hot stir-fry pan. Toss just until cooked through. Finish with Smoked Sea Salt and Peppercorn Mix to taste. Serve immediately.
Black-Eyed Peas and Walnut Lettuce Wraps Serves 6-8
2 cans black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed or 3 cups cooked
1 onion, chopped
1 can water chestnuts, chopped
1 medium carrot, roughly grated
½ C. chopped walnuts
1 red bell pepper, chopped
¼ C. fresh parsley, chopped
2 T. vomFASS Orange Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ C. vomFASS Fig Chili Balsamic
1 t. vomFASS African Rub spice blend
vomFASS Sea Salt and Peppercorn Mix, to taste
16 leaves iceberg or butter lettuce
Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, pepper, carrots and water chestnuts. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover pan and continue cooking until veggies are tender crisp, 5-7 minutes. Stir in walnuts, black-eyed peas, balsamic and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cool slightly. Spoon about ¼ cup of the mixture into each lettuce leaf. Fold the leaves in half and eat taco-style. vomFASSified from Oldwayspt.org
Fig-Chili BBQ Sauce
Makes approximately 1 cup sauce
4 Tbsp vomFASS San Gimignano Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ medium-sized onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup ketchup
½ cup vomFASS Fig Chili Balsamic Vinegar (for less spicy, see NOTE)
1/3 cup honey
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 cup water
¼ tsp vomFASS Sea Salt
¼ tsp vomFASS Black Peppercorn Mix
NOTE: For a less spicy version, use ¼ cup Fig Chili Balsamic + ¼ cup Star Fig Balsamic.
In medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté one minute more.
Whisk in the ketchup, vinegar(s), honey, mustard, water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook the sauce until it has thickened enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 10 – 15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Refrigerate until ready to use, or for up to two weeks.
Black Bean Salsa Serves 4 – 8
1 – 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup chopped cherry or grape tomatoes
½ small red onion, minced
1 cup corn kernels (fresh, canned or frozen and thawed)
2 T. cilantro, chopped
1 tsp vomFASS Chili con Carne spice blend
1 T. vomFASS Fig Chili Balsamic Star Vinegar
1 ½ T. vomFASS Agora Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 t. vomFASS Calamansi Balsam Vinegar
¼ t. vomFASS Sea Salt
¼ t. vomFASS Peppercorn Mix
*For a spicier version, replace Agora Extra Virgin Olive Oil with Red Pepper or Jalapeno Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Place all ingredients into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Stir gently until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. Stir again just prior to serving. Serve with tortilla chips as a dip, serve as a condiment for tacos, or add to a green salad or grilled entrée of fish or chicken.
Fig Chili Chocolate Truffles
6 oz. heavy cream
2 T sugar
2 T vomFASS Fig Chili Balsamic Vinegar
8 oz. chopped bittersweet chocolate
1 T butter
4 oz. Apricot Grappa
1 T Honey
Bring cream, sugar and vinegar to almost a boil. Add chopped chocolate, cover and let sit for 5 min. Stir in grappa and butter. Emulsification starts in the middle, continue stirring until grappa is incorporated and ganache is shiny. Taste, add honey if necessary. Let cool. Form ½ in balls and roll in cocoa. Look, Taste, Enjoy!
I hope you’re feeling inspired!
Let me know if you create something wonderful – take a picture and share your recipe by tagging our Facebook page!
not over-crowding the pan. Grind BBQ Fish Seasoning over the fish. Sauté until golden. Flip once and finish sautéing until golden on the second side. Turn off heat under pan and allow to continue cooking with ambient heat just until fish is flaky and no longer translucent in the middle. Don’t overcook, as it results in a dry, tough fillet. To grill, use aluminum foil as your “pan” over medium heat. Serve with a drizzle of Calamansi Balsam Vinegar.
minutes. Turn and grill another 3 – 4 minutes. Remove pears from heat and place on serving dishes. Add gorgonzola, drizzle with Honey Balsamic Star and Walnut Oil.
medium and simmer for 30 minutes. When farro is al dente, drain and rinse with cold water, then drain well. While farro is cooking, toast hazelnuts on a sheet pan for about 10 minutes, or until brown skins start cracking. Watch carefully to prevent over-toasting. Cool, then rub hazelnuts between your hands to remove brown skins. Chop slightly. Mix vinegar, olive oil and maple syrup with salt and pepper. Whisk or shake until combined. Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl.
