A Touch of Acid - Tip of the Day

by Alex Van Buren, Posted Apr 23rd 2009 @ 9:00AM

Is a dish lacking something you can't pinpoint? Try a tiny bit of salt if you must, but don't forget the secret weapon tucked in the fridge or lolling on the counter.

You guessed it; the mighty citrus fruit may be your savior for that amazing pasta tossed with fresh mint and a sprinkle of parm or the salad that just tastes so slightly off the mark. So don't reach instinctively for the salt shaker; see what a bright dash of lemon or orange will do. We love this caldo verde (a savory Portuguese soup packed with sausage and kale) spritzed with lemon juice just upon serving so the acid doesn't cook into the broth. In the same vein, chef friends swear by adding a touch of vinegar as final notes -- whether champagne vinegar to a grapefruit-watercress salad or an aged sherry vinegar to stews. Play around, see what works and flip those dishes around to (we can't resist) make lemonade out of lemons.

Filed Under: Tip of the Day
Tags: acid, citrus, citrust, lemon, lemons, orange, oranges, tipoftheday, vinegar