I have a really quick and easy balsamic reduction recipe to share with you guys – because doesn’t, everyone.

I often tease that I have a champagne lifestlye on a beer budget. It’s funny because it’s true and a big contributor to this is an arsenal of quick “fancy” recipes using minimal ingredients.

I found a super yum summer salad recipe years ago, for the adults at Aidan’s birthday party…. Watermelon, mint, feta, balsamic reduction and optional seed sprinkle.

I found that balsamic reductions start at R100 for five drops (okay, more like 200ml, but still) so I thought I could make my own.

Rosemary infused honey balsamic reduction…

What you need…

– one cup of inexpensive balsamic vinegar (mine was under R30)
– quarter cup honey (this recipe also works with brown sugar – which makes it even more affordable – but I have some really good quality fynbos honey I wanted to use)
– a few sprigs of rosemary

How to…

Stir balsamic vinegar and honey together in a small saucepan and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer with rosemary sprigs until the vinegar mixture has reduced. You can tell when it coats and sticks to the back of a spoon this process takes about 10 minutes. Pick out the Rosemary and cool before use…

There you have it a yummy balsamic reduction… I add a capful of vanilla essence to the mixture after taking it off the heat, it adds a lovely caramel aspect to the reduction.

Do you use balsamic reductions? What for? Share some recipes with me….