Courtesy of Guest Chef Bill Fore
Osso Bucco, lamb
shanks, veal stew or chili – perhaps no other cooking technique is so
closely associated with a season as braising is with winter.
As well as being comfort food of the highest order nourishing both body
and soul, braised meals offer a host of virtues for cooks of every skill level. No careful measurements required, braising instead is done
“to fit the pan.” Ingredients
can vary depending on the whim of the cook or the contents of the larder.
It’s usually done in one pot so there’s little clean-up, and don’t
overlook the welcoming aromas the house takes on as you cook.
Braise with white wine or red, depending on the meat and your taste.
Serve it rustic or refine the sauce with classical techniques for elegant
dinners. Best of all, most braised
dishes are actually better reheated the following day – cooling in the cooking
liquids allows the meat to reabsorb the rich stock adding moisture, flavor and
richness.
A few keys to braising:
Pick a pan just large enough to contain the meat.
Season and sear the meat first. Add
vegetable herbs and spices, then the cooking liquid.
Wine (or a combination of wine and stock) and tomatoes add necessary
acidity as well as flavor, helping tenderize inexpensive cuts of meat.
With small pieces of meat such as a stew, add enough liquid to cover
completely; for larger pieces such as shanks, cover ½ to ¾ of the height.
Bring all the ingredients to a boil briefly, then cover and cook to a
slow oven until tender. Skim fat and adjust seasonings.
Then it’s ready when you are – no rush!
Braised dishes are rich in both flavor and
texture so match them with rich full-bodied wines. Choose a full fruited, oak-aged Chardonnay such as Chateau
St. Jean Sonoma Chardonnay or one from the central coast like Meridian Santa
Barbara Chardonnay. The Bordeaux
grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot are right at home with hearty
braised meats, or opt for a rich American classic like the Beaulieu Vineyard
Napa Zinfandel.
| 6 |
lamb shanks, one per person |
|
coarse ground pepper |
|
kosher salt |
|
flour for dusting |
|
vegetable oil for searing |
| 2 |
slices bacon, cut into one inch pieces |
| 2 |
cups diced onions |
| 1 |
cup chopped carrots |
| 1 |
cup chopped celery |
| 6 |
cloves of garlic, peeled |
| 1 |
whole clove |
| 1 |
tablespoon tomato paste |
| 2 |
bay leaves |
|
sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme (or your choice of dried
herbs) |
|
wine |
|
chicken stock |
| 2 |
tablespoons unsalted cold butter in four pieces |
|
lemon juice |
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Season the shanks generously with salt and pepper, dredge
lightly in flour. Choose a heavy
stovetop casserole such as a dutch oven that will fit the amount of shanks to be
prepared rather closely and has a close-fitting lid.
Heat about ¼ inch of oil in the pan over medium heat and brown the
shanks slowly, turning them to color all sides.
Remove the shanks, add a little more oil if needed and cook the bacon for
a couple of minutes. Add the onions and sauté for about a minute.
Add the carrots, celery, garlic, clove, tomato paste and bay leaves.
Continue cooking for about five minutes while the tomato paste browns a
little and the vegetables begin to sweat.
Return the shanks to the pan, nestling them among the
vegetables. Add the tomatoes,
herbs, and enough wine and stock to half-cover the shanks. Increase the heat, bringing the whole pot to a simmer; cover
and move to the oven. Bake for
about 60 to 90 minutes until the meat is tender but not falling from the bone.
Remove from the oven and allow to stand for about 10
minutes. Remove the shanks from the
pan and keep warm. Pour the
braising ingredients through a sieve and skim the fat from the resulting stock.
Puree the cooked vegetables with some of the stock in a blender until
very fine. Recombine the puree with
remaining stock and bring the sauce to a boil, reduce heat to simmer.
Whisk in the butter one piece at a time until completely incorporated,
then adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Return the shanks to the pan and reheat gently before serving.
Options
- This
dish is actually better prepared a day ahead and reheated.
Follow the instructions except for the final butter and seasoning.
Allow the shanks to cool in the sauce and refrigerate overnight.
Reheat gently, finish the sauce with butter and seasonings, and
serve.
- If
you prefer a finer sauce, discard the vegetables and reduce the stock by
half. Add butter, seasonings, a
dash of brandy and a little cream if you like. Very elegant.
- Great
accompaniments include
- mushrooms
sautéed in butter with garlic and chopped parsley
- white
beans cooked with bacon, onion and sage
- fresh
broad egg noodles with butter, salt and pepper
- any
potato – boiled, oven roasted, pan fried, or garlic mashed
- barley
pilaf
- steamed vegetables of any kind
Bon Appetit!