J'aime le vinaigre

I'm a vinegar freak, and as such I appreciate the hell outta this ...

Like primary colors to a painter, fat, salt and acid are the essential ingredients chefs use to flavor their masterpiece meals. Many home cooks know how to use fat (either oil or butter) and salt of course, but they skip on the acid, things like vinegar for example.

If you love to cook, try going beyond plain white vinegar and experiment with white balsamic, sherry vinegar (not to be confused with sherry cooking wine), rice wine vinegar or dark rich balsamic. Each one has a unique flavor from slightly sweet to rich, and all can work wonders in stir-fries, one-pot meals and even desserts.

Consider vinegar a skinny staple, because it's low in calories and high in flavor, costs very little and stores well for months in your cupboard. Recent studies show that acetic acid, the main component of vinegar, may help control blood pressure, blood sugar levels and fat accumulation. Even better, its wonderful flavor is entirely versatile--with its tart tang capable of making a good recipe great.

Balsamic Salmon

Serves 4

4 6-ounce salmon filets
2 large oranges, thinly sliced
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 9×12-inch baking dish with aluminum foil. Place both filets of salmon in the dish, so they are not touching. Sprinkle each filet with salt and pepper and layer the top with 3-4 slices of orange per filet.

Drizzle balsamic and olive oil on top. Bake 15-20 min, checking occasionally throughout cooking. Add a little water or more vinegar if the balsamic becomes too dark or begins to burn. Serve immediately.