| Issue #40 - January 9, 2009 |
Simple Art of Cooking
Braising: The Ultimate Comfort Food
by Silvia Lehrer
One of the simplest cooking preparations is the technique to braise. And it couldn't be more suitable to this time of the year, when such fashionable hearty slow-cooked food favorites are braised short ribs or lamb shanks. Generally the ingredient list for braised dishes can appear lengthy and may be a turn off at first glance. A modicum of vegetables is chopped up front, there's a brief browning time and the oven does the rest.
For best results, braising requires a tight-lidded heavy enamel over iron pan such as an oval or round 5-7 quart Le Creuset casserole. That is what I reach for when preparing the above recipes. Some chopped vegetables are sautéed before browning the main ingredient and transferred to a covered casserole to slowly cook in moist heat. It's best to prepare certain braised dishes a day ahead to refrigerate, particularly beef or lamb, to remove the congealed fat. If I'm cooking short ribs, I may pull the meat off the bone to shred and serve with the vegetable juices over soft polenta. This may be the height of culinary comfort and warmth.
BRAISED LAMB SHANKS WITH WHITE BEANS
Braising lamb shanks with white beans make a complete and comforting meal.
Serves 6
6 lamb shanks, about 3/4 - 1 pound each (have butcher saw off exposed bone)
Flour for dusting shanks
2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse (kosher) salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 large red onion, finely chopped
3 ribs of celery cut into 3/4-inch slices
3 carrots cut into 3/4-inch slices
4-5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups red wine
3 cups chicken or beef stock
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon snipped rosemary leaves
1 can (2 lbs., 3 oz.) Italian plum tomatoes, drained
1 tablespoon molasses
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 pound Great Northern beans, soaked four hours or overnight
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. Trim shanks of excess fat. Warm the oil in a large 12-inch skillet. Dust shanks with flour and brown, a few at a time, over medium-high heat, about three minutes each side. Transfer shanks, as they are done, to a 6-7 quart oven-proof casserole and season with salt and pepper.
2. Add onion, celery and carrots to the skillet the shanks browned in and sauté until onions are translucent, about four minutes. Add the garlic and cook one minute longer. Transfer vegetable mixture to the shanks. Add wine and cook over high heat to reduce by half. Add stock, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary and tomatoes, breaking up the tomatoes with the back of a spoon. Bring the sauce to a boil. Let the mixture simmer briskly for a few minutes while scraping up pan juices. Stir in molasses and mustard, then ladle wine mixture over the shanks, barely covering them. Bake for one hour.
3. Remove casserole from oven, drain beans and add to the liquid to completely submerge. Return to oven and bake about two hours longer, until meat and beans are tender. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust seasoning if necessary. Can be prepared up to two days ahead. Cool and refrigerate to discard congealed fat.
4. When ready to serve, bring the stew to room temperature then simmer over low heat until shanks and beans are heated through. Taste to adjust seasoning if necessary.
BRAISED BEEF SHORT RIBS
Braised dishes characteristically take time to cook without demanding your time.
Serves 6
8-9 large meaty short ribs of beef, about four pounds
1/3 cup flour
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried
Coarse (kosher) salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons Canola oil
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 ribs celery, trimmed, rinsed and thinly sliced
2 fresh thyme sprigs or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups dry red wine
3 cups beef broth, preferably homemade or canned low-sodium
1 bunch carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch lengths
2 large parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch lengths
4 tablespoons chopped parsley
1. Wipe the ribs with paper towels to absorb any moisture. Place the flour, thyme, salt, pepper and paprika in a plastic bag and toss to mix. Put in the ribs and shake the bag to coat on all sides.
2. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium high heat and put in as many ribs as it will hold at one time without crowding the pan. Sauté the ribs until they're a deep golden brown on all sides, for about three minutes each side. Transfer to a large six- or seven-quart oven-proof casserole as the ribs are seared. Season ribs generously with salt and pepper. While meat is browning prep the vegetables.
Note: Steps 1 and 2, browning the meat and prepping the vegetables, will take about 30 minutes or so. After this initial preparation, preheat oven to 325 degrees.
3. Add onion, garlic and celery to the pan the ribs cooked in, adjust heat to medium and sauté vegetables about five minutes until onion is translucent. Add tomato paste, stir to mix and season with salt and pepper. Add red wine and bring to a boil. Simmer briskly until wine is reduced by half. Add broth and bring to the edge of a boil. Pour the liquid and vegetables over the meat. The liquid should barely cover the meat. Add more broth if necessary, cover pan and transfer to preheated oven and cook for two hours. Cool and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Discard fat before returning to the oven. Add carrots and parsnips, stir into the liquid and continue to cook for 45 minutes longer until meat falls off the bone and carrots and parsnips are tender. Adjust seasoning to taste if necessary and serve hot.
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