White balsamic vinegar starts off as regular balsamic vinegar does, but is steamed, rather than caramelised and aged. You get a much lighter, fresher flavour – like a sweet white wine vinegar, but you can taste the grapes more.
One of my favourite ways to use it is in a dressing with olive oil and a touch of honey. Toss it through shaved courgette and a little rocket, and finish with walnuts and shaved pecorino – absolutely delicious.
It’s lovely with most vegetables: mixed greens, lentils, blanched kale, grilled tenderstem broccoli or boiled root vegetables. Mix it with garlic, salt, thyme – it gives the most lovely agrodolce (sweet-sour) taste without being overpowering.
In the restaurant, we do a porchetta on a Saturday and we rub white balsamic on the inside of a pork belly. You get that caramelised flavour but it doesn’t go very dark as it cooks over seven hours.
Put chicken thighs in a white balsamic vinegar marinade, with a little garlic and some sage, then roast them. The vinegar helps to flavour and tenderise them; sticky but not too caramelised, with this brilliant roast chicken flavour.
Theo Randall is chef-patron of Theo Randall at the InterContinental, London W1