Verjus

Verjus, French for "green juice", is pressed from unripe grapes harvested before their sugars fully develop. The result is an acidic, fruity liquid that sits somewhere between fresh lemon juice and white wine vinegar in character: tart, but without the harshness of citrus or the fermented edge of vinegar. In cooking, it deglazes pans, balances rich sauces, brightens braises, and dresses salads. Jennifer used it with brown butter and cabernet sauvignon to deglaze roasted grapes for her scrambled egg dish. Unlike wine, verjus is non-alcoholic and keeps well once opened. Find it in specialty food shops or online.