A dry Riesling lends complexity to Veal Shoulder Forestière, another Boulud signature.
PHOTO: THOMAS SCHAUER, COURTESY OF “BRAISE” BY DANIEL BOULUD & MELISSA CLARK
Braising -How to transform ordinary ingredientsinto extraordinary, melt-in-your-mouth meals.By Carole KotkinParents, professors and politicians often admonish us that history repeats itself, and that we should learn from the past to avoid future missteps. In culinary culture, the rewind button is also frequently pressed, but with the intention of reviving a technique, refining a forgotten recipe or resurrecting an obscure ingredient. Paging through this figurative global cookbook enables chefs to borrow what pleases them and expand upon it for the contemporary table.
Take braising, the method that produces such famed dishes as boeuf bourguignonne, daube de veau and gigot d'agneau, which are customarily served by French cooks in well-worn casseroles, for example. Braising, "just another name for stew or fricassee" as the late Julia Child noted in Mastering the Art of French Cooking, originally involved whole pieces or large cuts of meat that were cooked with a small amount of wine or other liquid, in a braisière, topped by a tight-fitting, concave lid that held hot embers. (By way of contrast, stewing uses smaller pieces of meat and more liquid.) The braisière was then set into a hearth and nestled into the hot coals so that the heat source emanated from all sides. "The oldest cooking method in the world is over an open fire; the second is braising," notes classically trained chef and Fine Cooking contributing editor Molly Stevens. "Cooks would tuck a few ingredients and a bit of liquid into a clay pot, cover it tightly, bury it in the embers, and leave it to simmer slowly for hours," she elaborates.
Today a heavy pot of enameled cast iron, which distributes the heat evenly, and a tight-fitting lid, which retains moisture, would work in much the same fashion. Tradition-minded French cooks sometimes still seal the pot with a paste made of flour and water, then slice it away afterward with a sharp knife.
During the slow cooking period, collagen (a connective tissue in meat) and fibers melt and soften, releasing a depth of flavor and richness that is impossible to achieve using any other method. Therefore cuts from the shoulder, short ribs, shank, breast, round and rump - the "working" parts of the animal, which tend to be more sinewy and tougher to chew - are all ideal raw material; pot roast and brisket, along with ethnic and regional specialties, such as osso buco (veal shank) and cochinita pibil (pork shoulder in banana leaves), are classic examples of finished dishes.
Judy Rodgers, chef-owner of San Francisco's Zuni Café, notes that, "It's important to use cooking liquid that is delicious on its own: Use wine you would drink and stock or broth that is good enough to serve unadulterated. I reduce the wine I am using to concentrate its flavor. It's not just moisture you're adding - it's flavor and sometimes body."
The Zuni Café's flavor-charged menu is seasonal; this winter it included oxtail, lamb shoulder, short ribs and duck braises, as well as an Umbrian-inspired dish of quail and sausage braised with grapes and served over polenta. When California figs come to market, she braises them with chicken, vinegar and honey.
Rodgers first honed her braising technique as a foreign exchange student in 1973 when she had the good fortune to land in the home of the Troisgros family, who created one of France's great three-star restaurants, Troisgros, in Roanne. Under their guidance, she quickly immersed herself in the Troisgros family philosophy: pure, unpretentious food with a seasonal and regional character. Today that spirit permeates every aspect of the Zuni Café (which she has nurtured since 1987) and the book she has written, The Zuni Café Cookbook. Rodgers, who has served braised dishes to her patrons for 15 years, writes that the irony about the braising technique is that the process that makes the food succulent also can dry it out. The key is to keep the meat in a temperature range that isn't too hot because high heat toughens and dries out meat.
But because braised meats are always cooked through, there is no such thing as a rare pot roast; also, you don't need to bother with a meat thermometer. You simply cook your meat until you can stick a fork into it easily. For that reason most recipes give a range of cooking times, qualified by the general phrase, "until fork tender."
"Braising fell out of fashion when gourmet foods became popular," Stevens writes in her latest release, All About Braising: The Art of Uncomplicated Cooking. "Suddenly everyone was enthralled by the speed of grilling, stir-frying and sautéing; techniques that had more sizzle to them. People forgot about how satisfying and comforting Mom's cooking was." But restaurant chefs everywhere are now re-interpreting those fine, long-simmered classics. This time around, however, the hearty preparations are being plated on elegant china and served with farm-fresh organic vegetables and luxurious seasonings such as truffles.
Indeed, braising has become such an "it" cooking style that Daniel Boulud, the award-winning chef-owner of Daniel, one of Manhattan's haute-cuisine French restaurants, and the less-formal DB Bistro Moderne and Café Boulud, as well as other outposts in Las Vegas and Palm Beach, Florida, dedicated his latest book, Braise, A Journey Through International Cuisine, co-authored with Melissa Clark, to the subject. "Braising is to cooking what blues is to music," Boulud reflects. "The notes are soft and the beat is soothing, and the cooking technique is soul-satisfying." Boulud grew up eating pot-au-feu (boiled beef and vegetables) with short ribs at the family farm near Lyon, and is credited with introducing braising to American fine dining restaurants during his tenure at Le Cirque in the 1980s.
Classically trained chef Jan Jorgensen, owner of Two Chefs in Miami, observes that, "Braising is one of the most basic kitchen methods of all, and great sauce is one of the rewards of this type of cooking. You can't get that by tossing a piece of meat on the grill." The Danish-born Jorgensen has developed a technique that he calls "pan braising" whereby he flash-sears the protein in a very hot wood-burning oven. "The pan is uncovered so the flavor of the wood transfers to the dish," he explains. "After the liquid and aromatics are added, and the pan covered, it all comes together as one entity."
During fall and winter, braised lamb shank, pork shank, oxtail, short ribs and whole leg of lamb highlight the Two Chefs menu; toward spring and into summer, Jorgensen pan-braises rabbit, whole Maine lobster and saddle of monkfish. "Monkfish on the bone is one of my favorite foods for braising. It's really flavorful and something a lot of people aren't expecting." In this braise, the monkfish is swimming in white wine and surrounded by tomatoes, garlic, carrots, shallots and preserved lemon. Embellished with butter, the cooking liquid becomes an irresistible, perfumed sauce.
"Nothing fills the air with more welcoming aromas than a braised dish gently simmering on the stove and when it is served," Boulud says. "Veal and mushrooms are a wonderful combination because veal can absorb a lot of flavor from other ingredients," he notes, describing the "Veal Shoulder Forestière au Riesling" in his recently released cookbook.
Although the word braise is French for "coal" or "ember," no single cuisine or culture can claim the method as its own. According to Boulud, "No matter how much the ingredients and flavors vary from place to place, nearly every culture likes to braise. We employ cooks of all nationalities, and when they first come to work for us we always ask them to prepare a meal for the 'family' [staff] from their country - something they would make for their families at home. Often it turns out to be a braised dish. [Then]
I refine the dish and make it 'more.'" For instance, his "Layered Beef and Root Vegetables in a Spicy Coconut Curry" is an exciting and original adaptation of a common Indian dish. Home cooks can do the same by getting inspiration from other cuisines and searching, as Boulud does, for new ingredients, flavors and recipes to add to their repertoires. Give the dish a Greek accent by adding lemon slices; make it Sicilian with olive oil and almonds; Asian with curry powder; or Mexican with chile peppers. The possibilities, as Boulud points out, are limitless.
Presenting these rustic dishes in a sophisticated way, however, can be a challenge. At Barton G. The Restaurant in Miami Beach, known for its wild décor and over-the-top plate designs, executive chef Joseph Parsons goes for amusing, overstated gestures. His short ribs, braised in a robust red wine for deep richness and tenderness and further flavored with onions, lemons and kaffir lime leaves, are served on a picnic barbecue stand with roasted potatoes, slaw, creamed corn and pickled cucumbers. Even more jaw-dropping, the slow-cooked tandoori spiced lamb ribs with mint-scented yogurt are offered on a clay terra cotta tray alongside a fresh mint plant and a miniature chimayo oven with a fire burning within. High drama, yes, but all of his creations are grounded in his obvious skills. "People want homey foods and braising gives me an opportunity to go back to this old-school method with a non-headliner piece of meat and make it spectacular," he says. Parsons' melt-in-your-mouth dishes pair magnificently with a range of full-bodied reds, but he favors a Bordeaux from Côtes de Bourg with the short ribs and something from the Haut-Médoc for the lamb ribs because they are a bit rounder and slightly more flattering.
At Acadiana in Washington, D.C., classically French-trained chef de cuisine Christopher Clime draws his gastronomic inspirations from the rich culinary tradition of southern Louisiana; he'd much rather braise a shoulder, a shank or a pork belly than grill a steak. Pork belly was unknown on restaurant menus ten years ago, but today it's rare to find an upscale restaurant that doesn't offer its version of the underside of the hog (the meat is increasingly coming from naturally raised heritage breeds of hogs), and a perfect example is Acadiana's braised Berkshire pork belly with baby vegetables, sweet potato gratin and bourbon jus. For ultimate tenderness and juiciness, Clime brines the pork belly for 24 hours in a mixture of salt, sugar, juniper berries, bay leaves, thyme, garlic, black peppercorns, white wine and water; next it's simmered for eight hours in a mixture of red wine, bourbon and pork stock. "Although braising is labor intensive, it's less in food costs," Climes explains. "So I can give my diners dishes with more substance and great flavor at a lower cost." He also finds that slow-cooked cuts of pork have broad consumer appeal. >
At the Restaurant at Meadowood in Napa Valley, chef de cuisine Joseph Humphrey's enthusiasm extends to braised tuna and foie gras, his take on "Tournedos Rossini" (sautéed slices of beef filet topped with foie gras), which he learned from his mentor George Morrone when he worked with him at San Francisco's Fifth Floor. "Fish is usually thought of as light and summery, but braising fish unlocks flavors and natural juices, and produces succulent, full-bodied entrées that are perfect for cooler weather." He simmers tuna for eight hours in a Pinot Noir poaching liquid: "The tuna's texture is like butter, and it picks up the wine flavors." After layering slices of the tuna with barely wilted spinach and portobello mushrooms, he adds a foie gras cream sauce and caps it with crisp pommes Anna.
Braising is not just about meat, poultry and fish. Author Stevens suggests using the technique to bring out a vegetable's sweetness. "The shorter braises make surprising dishes," she says, singling out endive as a personal favorite. "When it is browned first in butter and then slowly cooked in just a bit of chicken stock, endive's inherent bitterness transforms into something marvelously complex and luscious," Stevens notes. She also reports that an extended cooking time for cabbage renders it intensely tender and sweet. Braising is a fine way to catch the evanescent splendor of stone fruits, says Boulud, who combines ripe peaches with long peppers (available at Indian or Asian markets) braised gently in Sauternes or a late harvest Riesling. The fruit, in its rich syrup, makes an excellent accompaniment to poultry and meat, or it can stand alone as an exotic yet simple dessert.
"I've been preparing these humble dishes most of my life. In fact, braised short ribs was one of the first things I learned to make as a chef's apprentice in France," Boulud notes. "And although braised dishes may take some extra time to prepare," he continues, "everything can be done in advance - often in only one pot - and an additional day allows the flavors to meld seamlessly." Once the simmering has begun, the cook is free to tend to other tasks like choosing the wine or polishing the glasses. When it's finally time to lift the lid, that tough cut of meat will have morphed into a meltingly tender, succulent meal.
Technique
In braised dishes, the meat is browned on the stovetop - ideally in a large Dutch oven or similar pot, which will also be used for the slow cooking process. Browning ingredients well initially is important because it yields better color and flavor.
While browning produces flavor, only simmering can ensure the fork-tender results that embody a braised dish. The choice of cooking liquids is wonderfully varied: water, broth or stock, a marinade, vinegar, beer or, of course, wine, the latter of which forms as natural a marriage in the pot as it does on the table, lending nuances that result in a memorable dish. Using wine as an ingredient in braising is almost as basic as employing salt or pepper; its addition simply takes food to a higher level.
Not only does wine provide a panoply of flavors and textures - from fruit and acid to richness and body - it helps to transform other elements in the dish.
"Wine adds instant complexity to a dish," writes Anne Willan in her comprehensive book, Cooking with Wine. "The alcohol contributes not just zest and vigor, but it also reacts on food in various ways, as do the other components in wine, particularly the acid."
It's advisable to cook with wine that you are willing to drink. Otherwise, the flavor an inferior bottle imbues will be as undistinguished or, worse, unattractive, in the dish as in the glass. While most of us have moved beyond cooking wines (which are loaded with additives), it's interesting to note that, according to culinary lore, salt was first added to wines meant for cooking to keep the kitchen staff from nipping at the bottle.
Judy Rodgers, chef-owner of San Francisco's Zuni Café and author of The Zuni Café Cookbook, reduces the stock or wine at least by half to concentrate its flavor before cooking in it. She also notes that braising doesn't require much liquid; the level, she advises, should reach about a third of the meat's height.
Another key to braising is to keep the pot in a temperature range that isn't too hot because high heat dries out meat. Rodgers suggests maintaining a gentle simmer. "Braising doesn't make things moist, you make things moist," she says. To ensure this, Rodgers pre-salts. "Salting performs this delightful, counter-intuitive task of keeping the meat juicy," she says. "If you put salt on something in advance, you do lose some moisture, but that moisture gets reabsorbed. Salt begins the process as it permeates the food, promoting juiciness and improved texture." - CK
- Pots intended for stovetop preparations should have heavy bottoms to ensure even heat distribution; if the pot will be used for oven braising, the entire vessel, including lid and handles, must be ovenproof.
- First sear the ingredients in a thin film of hot fat (olive oil, butter, etc.) to brown. Make sure meat is at room temperature and patted dry with paper towels before adding it to the pan. Pre-salt (as Chef Rodgers instructs in "Technique" sidebar) or season after the meat is browned. Brown the meat on all sides. If the oil cools, or there is too much food in the pan, moisture will collect before the outside is seared, and the meat will steam rather than sear. If all the meat won't fit in a single layer, brown it in batches. Before browning, the meat can be dredged in flour, which helps thicken the sauce as it cooks.
- The liquid for simmering can be plain water or seasoned broth, wine or beer, all of which can be spiked with vinegar. The aromatics of onion, garlic, herbs and spices will round out the flavor profile.
- Skim the fat off occasionally during cooking and after the dish is finished. If cooking ahead, cool the dish and refrigerate. The next day, spoon off the fat that has solidified on top.
- Long-simmered meats go well with mashed potatoes, puréed root vegetables, noodles, couscous, polenta, beans or rice. Roasted or braised root vegetables, such as beets, turnips and parsnips, or sautéed greens, such as kale, collard or mustard, offer excellent foils for the meaty richness of a braised dish. - CK
Braised Monkfish
Adapted from a recipe by
Chef Jan Jorgensen of Two Chefs
- 1 3-pound monkfish tail, on the bone (skin and membrane removed)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced shallots
- 1 carrot, cut into small dice
- 2 celery stalks, cut into small dice
- 5 cloves garlic, slivered
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup tomato concasse
- 1/4 cup kalamata olives
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon chopped basil
- 1 tablespoon chopped thyme
Remove fish to a serving platter and cover to keep warm. Skim any fat from braising liquid. Add tomatoes, olives, butter and herbs and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat. Season to taste.
Ladle sauce over top of fish and serve.
Serves 4
Pinot Noir Braised Tuna
with Savoy Spinach, Portobello Mushrooms & Foie Gras Veloute
Adapted from a recipe by Chef Joseph Humphrey of The Restaurant at Meadowood
For the Tuna:
- 2 cups Pinot Noir
- 3 medium shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
- Reserved portobello mushroom stems, thinly sliced (see below)
- 2 cups light veal, beef or chicken stock
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
- 8 1-ounce pieces sushi grade ahi tuna, cut into rectangles about 3/4" thick
Place dish in oven at lowest setting with door ajar to maintain temperature between 100°-115°. Cook for 2 hours.
For the Mushrooms:
- 2 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed and reserved
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
- 4 sprigs parsley
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
For the Foie Gras Veloute:
- 2 medium shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 white mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1 cup Madeira
- 2 tablespoons Banyuls, sherry or balsamic vinegar
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 ounces fresh foie gras
For the Spinach:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups savoy spinach leaves, stems removed
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons minced shallot
- 2 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
To Finish:
Cut portobellos into 8 slices. Divide the foie gras veloute between four warm, shallow bowls. Place a small mound of spinach in the center of each bowl. Top each mound with a slice of mushroom and then a piece of braised tuna. Repeat, making a second layer of spinach, mushroom and tuna. Serve immediately.
Serves 4
Lamb Rib Tandoori
Adapted from a recipe by Chef Joseph Parsons of Barton G. The Restaurant
- 4 to 6 slabs of lamb ribs, approximately 1 pound each
- 8-10 ounces tandoori paste or dry Indian spice*
- Salt and pepper
For the Braising Liquid:
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 10 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1/2 bunch celery, coarsely chopped
- 2 large white onions, coarsely chopped
- 2 quarts beef broth (homemade or low-sodium canned)
- 2 cups fresh orange juice
- 3 cups Rioja or red wine of choice
- 6 bay leaves
Place ribs in a roasting pan and pour braising liquid over top, cover with foil and place in a preheated 300° oven. Bake for 21/2 hours, until tender but not falling apart. Check progress after 2 hours so as not to overcook.
While ribs are cooking, prepare glaze.
For the Glaze:
- 2 cups honey
- 1/2 pound butter
- 1 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1 bunch scallions, chopped
Remove ribs from liquid and place on sheet pan in a 350° oven for 10 minutes. Spoon glaze over ribs 2-3 times while heating.
To serve, place on platter, adding more glaze as desired. Garnish with chopped scallions.
*Note: Tandoori paste or dry Indian spice is available from an Indian market or can be ordered online from Bombay Spice Company.
Serves 8
Braised Berkshire Pork Belly
with Bourbon Jus & Sweet Potato Gratin
Adapted from a recipe by Chef Christopher Clime of Acadiana
For the Brine:
- 6 quarts water
- 2 cups kosher salt
- 2 cups sel rose (available at gourmet grocery stores)
- 14 cloves garlic
- Zest of 2 oranges
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 6 star anise
- 2 cups coriander seeds
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 18 whole cloves
- 8 bay leaves
- 14 dried juniper berries
- 2 tablespoons allspice
- 5 pounds pork belly
- 1/4 cup grapeseed oil
Preheat oven to 300°.
Remove pork belly from brine and rinse. Sear in oil until golden brown on both sides.
Degrease pan, cover pork belly with cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook in preheated oven for 4 hours or until tender.
Remove from heat, lay pork belly flat and press with weighted pan; refrigerate overnight.
Cut pork belly into square portions.
Sear pork belly skin side down. When brown, place in a 350° oven for 10 minutes.
Serve immediately with bourbon jus as an accompaniment.
Serves 12
For the Bourbon Jus:
- 1/4 cup Steen's cane syrup
- 1/4 cup sugar cane vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- 1 cup demi-glace
For the Sweet Potato Gratin:
- 1 onion, sliced
- 2 sweet potatoes, sliced
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon chopped thyme
- Salt to taste
- 3 whole eggs
- White pepper to taste
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese
Caramelize sliced onion by cooking over medium heat until very brown but not burnt. Put onions, sweet potatoes, cream, thyme and a pinch of salt in a pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until sweet potatoes are soft. Remove sweet potatoes and onions from the cream. Put half of the cream into a bowl and whisk in eggs. Whisk egg-cream mixture back into remaining cream; cook over low heat, stirring constantly. When mixture coats back of a spoon, remove from heat and let cool.
Assemble sweet potatoes, onions and thickened cream in layers in a casserole pan, seasoning each layer with salt and pepper. Top with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and hot all the way through.
Serves 8
Veal Shoulder Forestière au Riesling
Adapted from a recipe in "Braise, a Journey through International Cuisine" by Chef Daniel Boulud
- 1 4-pound boneless veal shoulder roast
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
- Coarse salt or kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped marjoram
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cracked green peppercorns
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup shallots, peeled and cut into 1/4" slices
- 1 leek trimmed, bulb cut into 1/4" slice, greens reserved
- 2 pounds turnips, peeled and cut into 1/4" slice
- 1/2 pound oyster mushrooms, stemmed and split
- 1/2 pound button mushrooms, trimmed
- 1/4 pound lobster, shiitake or cremini mushrooms, trimmed and cut into 1/4" slice
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 11/4 cups dry Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc
- Bouquet garni (2 sprigs fresh flat leaf parsley, 1 sprig fresh rosemary, 1 sprig fresh thyme and 1 bay leaf wrapped in a leek green and tied)
- 11/4 cups heavy cream
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup fresh flat leaf parsley leaves, for garnish
Make 1" deep incisions all over veal with a sharp knife. Force garlic quarters into incisions and rub entire roast with salt, marjoram and cracked green peppercorns.
Heat oil in a cast-iron pot or Dutch oven over medium-high. Add veal and sear until golden brown on all sides, 10-15 minutes.
Add butter, shallots and sliced leek to pot and cook, stirring for 5 minutes. Add turnips and cook until light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring until they begin to release their liquid, about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Deglaze pot with white wine, bringing to a simmer and scraping any brown bits stuck to the bottom. Add bouquet garni and transfer pot to oven. Braise uncovered for 45 minutes, basting and turning veal several times.
Add 1 cup of cream to pot, cover and continue to braise until veal is tender, about 1 hour, basting and turning every 20 minutes. Remove pot from oven and let meat rest for 20 minutes. Transfer veal to a large serving platter and keep warm.
Place pot over medium heat and reduce until slightly thickened, 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together remaining cream with egg yolks. Remove pot from heat and stir in cream-egg yolk mixture. Pour sauce and mushrooms around veal. Garnish with parsley leaves and serve.
Serves 6
Peppery Peaches in Sauternes
Adapted from a recipe in Braise, a Journey through International Cuisine by Chef Daniel Boulud
- 8 ripe peaches
- 2 cups Sauternes
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
- 1 Thai (Sarawak) peppercorn, finely ground in a spice grinder
Bring large pot of water to a boil. Fill a large bowl halfway with ice cubes and cold water. Cut a small x into bottom of each peach. Carefully lower peaches into boiling water and blanch for 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer peaches to prepared ice bath. Let peaches cool; peel skins.
Put all ingredients into a 3-quart cast-iron pot. Bring to a gentle simmer on stovetop and transfer to oven for 2 hours. Using a slotted spoon, very gently remove peaches to a plate. Place pot over medium heat. Cook until liquid becomes syrupy, 10-15 minutes. Serve peaches warm or at room temperature with syrup.
Serves 8 - CK
