Forget getting the spatula out to clean out the last bit of jam or jelly in the jar! Instead whip up a simple salad vinaigrette!
So my Mama taught me this trick a million years ago and honestly I’ve been doing this for just as long however I thought it was common practice for everyone to do. Apparently I was wrong when I mentioned this to my one girlfriend who was complaining that her daughter actually broke her spatula trying to get the last bit of jelly out of the jar. When I told her what I do/my Mama taught me it was like I told her the meaning of life. She literally was in awe and had a total “whoa!” moment. LOL I love those!
Growing up Mom never bought store-bought jams or jellies. Oh no, that was severely frowned upon. Now I’ll confess I do buy them from time to time only out of lack of time to make homemade. It’s not hard to make (really) and it doesn’t take long (really) but with everything else on my plate I just have to cut corners from time to time.
What Mom taught me was, instead of trying to scrape out the last bit of jam or jelly out of the jar (and ending getting your knuckles all sticky from it) leave the excess and make it into a delicious fruity vinaigrette! Genius, I know!
Mom didn’t get all fancy schmancy with the bajillion varieties of vinegar. No, she had white, apple cider or red. That was it. No champagne, no balsamic, no white truffle.. no, Mom kept it low-key. Now the rule of thumb is super simple but the rest is up to you. What I mean by that is as follows:
- To the jar (we’ll say it’s a pint) add 1/4 cup vinegar, pinch of salt, pinch of pepper, screw the lid on and shake (the jar, not your body – well wait, shake your body with it as that counts as exercise in my book!)
- Remove the lid, add in 3/4 cup light oil (vegetable/canola/grapeseed), screw the lid on and shake – body shaking is optional.
- Taste. That’s the basics. But you know me I tend to add a bit more. So for example if my jam/jelly is berry I’ll also add in a teaspoon of dijon and, depending on how much jelly/jam is a left a touch of honey in case there isn’t a lot left, and a tablespoon of minced shallots. For citrus jams and jellies I like red pepper flakes, apple cider vinegar, touch of honey and black pepper.
The sky is the limit to be honest when it comes to flavor combinations. Go with what you like best.
TKW, Brilliant!!!! I came to see peoples comments, always learn a lot from the comments from people above and beyond your posts, and much to my supprize there were none. Not yet at least. Thank you for this tip. I am on it!!! I really would like to see a follow up on uses of vinegars and vinaigrettes. Example malted vineagar on fish and chips. A splash of apple cider vinegar on cooked spinach, of course salad dressing, but sticking with your tip of making special flavored vinaigrettes, looking for that next “ah ha” “whoa” moment and un thought of flavor combination. Recipes from BBQ sauces to ? using special homemade vinaigrettes. some things can stand on their own but usually a sauce of sorts make the meal go from good to Whoa!!! :0)
Just like your “Cowboy meat ball morph meat loaf, potato stacker, glazed with Cowboy BBQ sauce” post. To re glaze the sliced meat loaf with BBQ sauce and caramelizing the sauce under the broiler is that extra Cheffy technique that completely changes and enhances the sauce. Excellent work Mrs. Fantabulous!
Love your suggestions!!! Yes so many forget about most dishes needing that acidic element. I’m actually working on a new series of 1 recipe = x number of new dishes. Like I showed you all how to make Barbacoa but what will do next is show how you can take it into various other new and delicious dishes!
Thank you so much!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Oh my yes!!! Great series idea. Can’t wait. This isn’t wicked creative but after I made your Barbacoa recipe and had tacos, no brainer, the next day I took the remainder of the meat and chopped it up mixed it with shredded pepper jack, jack and cheddar cheese, diced onions, jalapeños, cilatro, cumin and crushed pineapple. Used that to roll up a bunch of enchiladas and took the Barbacoa juice/sauce and mixed it with the enchilada sauce. I made a verde sauce with tomatillos. The two colors green and brown make more of a dirty green color but no worries because you do not see the sauce under the same mix of shredded cheese on top, topped with Grated Cotija cheese. Kinda like a softer Mexican parmesan cheese in flavor and smell. I used a verde sauce because of it’s milder flavor wanting the Barbacoa flavors to shine through.
I had extra of the Barbacoa enchilada filling so I mixed up some Masa, same stuff you would use to make corn tortillas and made an El Salvadorian dish called “Pupusas” with “Curtido” an El Salvadorian ravioli with sauce on top kinda like with a coleslaw. I wish I had your vinaigrette tip to make the slaw. Normally I would just use apple cider vinegar but now I am going to use your tip and get some pineapple preserves and make the vinaigrette with that to accent the Barbacoa meat mixture. Pupusas are basically made by making a ball of masa press an indentation into it fill with filling, whatever you like bean and cheese is common but get creative, and close and pat flat and round with no leaks of the filling. Hot dry surface of whatever kind, could be your wood stove if you want, and cook until masa starts to brown and flip. Can use oil if you like but hot and dry works just fine the masa will release when ready like making tortillas. Make a chili de arbol salsa or a ranchero sauce and serve a couple of pupusas covered in sauce with the slaw on the side.
Point being got great bang for the buck with one of your recipes just like the series you are going to start. By the way your Barbacoa recipe was the first thing I made in my “Instant Pot” pressure cooker I got this last Christmas. That is also when I subscribed to your blog.
Thanks for all of your inspiration. I know what you are doing is hard and time consuming but your passion shines through.
Oh Ed how I so loved your comments, thank you so much! And I LOVE how you transformed your leftovers into new dishes! I actually did that today with the beef barbacoa and the salsa chicken – turned them both into “Smash Balls”. The recipes will be coming soon but these, oh these are EPIC!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
What cool idea!! Never heard of it either! Gonna give it a try for sure even if my jar isn’t almost empty. Used to live just north of Pittsburg and love your site. We live in Florida now. Miss the people there but not the weather!! Thank you for your recipes and ideas, they are great!
Shame on me for assuming everyone knew this. My favorite is raspberry with the Dijon and honey.
I love Pittsburgh but most definitely not the weather either. And thank you so much for your kind words!
Best Kitchen Wishes!