Kombucha vinaigrette

Everyone who makes kombucha ends up, sooner or later, with a batch that has stood too long. After three or four weeks the sugar is gone and the kombucha is so sharp you no longer want to drink it. There is nothing wrong with it: you have, in effect, made a mild, fruity vinegar. And that is perfect for a vinaigrette. It is softer than wine vinegar, with a light note of tea and a fresh acidity that suits bitter leaves, beetroot, pears, cheese and the first new potatoes of the season.

How to get sour kombucha

You can leave a batch too long on purpose. Brew your kombucha as usual with 1 SCOBY, 1 cup of starter liquid (about 250 ml), 80 g sugar, 3 tea bags and 1 litre water, and instead of 7 to 10 days, leave it three to four weeks. Taste now and then: once it is no longer sweet and as sharp as cider vinegar, it is ready. Pour it into a bottle with an ordinary cap and keep it in the fridge or somewhere cool. The basic method is in How to make kombucha.

If your kombucha turned too sour by accident, read kombucha too sour to catch the next batch in time. More about kombucha as vinegar, for cooking and cleaning, is in kombucha vinegar. And if you want to pause brewing for a while, a SCOBY hotel keeps your SCOBYs safe, and its liquid is exactly the sour kombucha this recipe needs.

What to serve it with

• Beetroot and goat's cheese: roasted beetroot, crumbled fresh goat's cheese, toasted walnuts and rocket. The classic autumn salad.
• Warm potato salad: new potatoes, still warm, tossed in the vinaigrette with chives and a little extra mustard. They soak up the dressing beautifully, and the bowl empties fast at a summer barbecue.
• Bitter leaves: chicory, radicchio or watercress with slices of pear.
• Lentils and roast vegetables: the acidity lifts a heavy winter salad.
• Grilled fish: a spoonful over grilled mackerel or salmon with a few capers.

Variations

• Herb vinaigrette: add a tablespoon of chopped parsley, chives or tarragon.
• Apple and mustard: use sour apple and cinnamon kombucha and an extra half teaspoon of mustard. Lovely with pork and red cabbage.
• Ginger and soy: a teaspoon of grated ginger and a teaspoon of soy sauce, with sesame oil instead of half the oil. For noodle salads.
• Ginger and lemon: use sour ginger and lemon kombucha with a pinch of sugar. Sharp and warm, lovely on a crunchy slaw.
• Creamy: a tablespoon of milk kefir or strained kefir cheese for a thick, pourable dressing.

Frequently asked questions

All you need to start is a live kombucha SCOBY. All guides and recipes are on the kombucha page.