Eggplant and pasta shells in a tomato-wine sauce with mushrooms, green pepper, red onion, and oregano. An oil-free vegetarian pasta sauteed in water and vinegar.
Asian-inspired meatball salad with pan-fried beef meatballs, pineapple chunks, and crisp vegetables tossed in a sweet-and-sour sauce made with soy, vinegar, and white wine. Served chilled over shredded lettuce.
Crunchy dill pickled okra with garlic and hot peppers. Water bath canned for shelf-stable Southern snacking that beats any store-bought jar.
Homemade mango ketchup with fresh mangos, vinegar, white wine, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, and cayenne. A fruity, spiced condiment cooked down and strained smooth.
No-cook barbecue sauce shaken together in a jar from ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire, vinegar, dry mustard, chili powder, and paprika. A five-minute basting sauce for grilled chicken, beef, or pork.
Chinese sliced pork rolls with cucumber sticks wrapped in thin-cut simmered pork, drizzled with a garlic chili sauce of dark soy, sesame oil, and chili oil. A cold appetizer with crunch and heat.
Slow cooker short ribs Pacific style in a sweet and tangy sauce of ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar. Broiled first to render fat, then braised 8 hours until fall-off-the-bone tender.
Szechuan-style shrimp velveted in a light egg-cornstarch batter, then wok-tossed with ginger, garlic, and dried chili in a sweet-sour-spicy sauce. Serve over steamed rice for a Chinese kitchen classic.
Cuban-style black beans and rice made from scratch with dried beans, cumin, oregano, garlic, and vinegar. A budget-friendly vegan meal simmered low and slow.
Steamed salmon fillets served chilled with a butter-sauteed cucumber and sour cream sauce with dill. An elegant cold fish dish for warm-weather entertaining.
Crazy cake (also called wacky cake or depression cake) needs no eggs, no milk, no butter. Mixed straight in the pan with vinegar for chemistry-class lift. A Depression-era favorite.
Potato salad with a tangy egg yolk dressing made by mashing hard-boiled yolks into vinegar, mustard, and mayonnaise. Egg whites get chopped into the salad.
Sauerbraten with Coke uses cola in the vinegar marinade for a sweeter, more caramelized take on the classic German pot roast. Marinated 2 to 4 days, braised until fork-tender, and finished with gingersnap gravy.
Hill Country pickled peaches preserved in a sweet vinegar syrup with cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, ginger, and white pepper. A Texas tradition for canning season.
Dill pickle soup, a creamy, tangy Polish-style favorite made with shredded dill pickles in a roux-thickened broth balanced with a touch of sugar and vinegar. Comforting and surprisingly craveable, topped with croutons.
Bread-and-butter pickled zucchini turns a garden glut into 36 sweet-tart jars. Mustard seed, celery seed, and turmeric build the classic bread-and-butter spice profile around sliced zucchini and onion.