Braising…More Yummy Fall Foods
By Jeannie Rose Field
On a cold rainy day, chaotic & busy, full of demands on your time (when you didn’t get much sleep to start with), doesn’t the thought of a soaking in a nice hot, aromatic bath sound wonderful? Perhaps a broth perfumed with orange juice, hearty fall vegetables encircling beef short ribs? What kind of bath did you think I meant? I am talking about braising!
Braising is a busy cook’s bff—for those of you without a teenager in your life, that’s best friend forever. Braising is, at its heart, simmering tough—but flavorful and cheap!—cuts of meat in an even more flavorful liquid. Over time (about three hours) the meat soaks up the flavors from the broth and loosens up until its downright silky. Not that anyone you know has this problem, but hypothetically if you were trying to get someone to eat their vegetables, braising works for that too: the veggies soaking with the meat take on such a rich, luscious texture and flavor you’ll hardly recognize them as healthy.
Braising basics: Arrange large cuts of meat and even, bite sized pieces of vegetables in a pan or heavy pot, just big enough to snugly hold it all. Pour in the liquid so it covers 1/3 to ½ the meat. While the pan is braising keep the liquid at a simmer. If the liquid gets too low during the cooking process, add a little more. Allow it to cook until the meat is ridiculously tender, about three hours, until you can stick a fork into the thickest part with ease.
For a final hurrah, remove the liquid from the pot and reduce in a sauce pan to make a glaze, which you, host(ess) extraordinaire, will sanguinely spoon over generous servings of braised beef, truthfully demurring as you pass plates around, “It was nothing.”
Lightning Braised Beef, adapted from Spice, by Anna Sorton
Usually when you think of a wine for beef, you think red: bright and acidic to cut fat in steak, deep and velvety for a cozy stew. It may come as a surprise, then, that the secret ingredient in this rich and tangy fall braising liquid is none other than Airfield Estates Lightning (50% Viognier, 25% Roussanne, 20% Chardonnay, 5% Marsanne), a refreshing white with the most lovely floral notes.
1. Combine the following to make the braising liquid:
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup Lightning
1 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons tamarind paste dissolved into ½ cup hot water
½ cup brown sugar
5 cloves garlic, crushed
2. Arrange in pan:
3-4 pounds beef seasoned with salt; preferred cuts include short ribs, chuck, brisket, bottom round or blade roast
1 large chopped onion
1 chopped onion
2 chopped potatoes
1 chopped apple
2 bay leaves
Optional:
Layer pan with kale, chard or another dark leafy green; these vegetables become amazingly silky and smooth during the braising process.
Feel free to substitute other vegetables in or out from the base as well; onions, carrots and potatoes are a classic, but the only real limit is your imagination (and what you happen to have laying around in the fridge in need of a second life). For example, I like the way sweet potatoes play off the sweet and tangy braising sauce.
3. Cover the pan tightly with foil and place in an oven preheated to 350 degrees. Braise 3-4 hours, removing when meat nearly falls apart when poked with a fork.
4. Remove the liquid-strain or use a baster. Chill until cool so fat rises to the top, then remove the fat.
5. Pour sauce into a shallow saute pan over medium heat, bringing to a boil and reducing until sauce forms a glaze. Serve over meat and vegetables.
Serving Notes: This makes such a rich sauce, I like to serve it with a mild grain that can really soak it up- couscous, quinoa, or rice, seasoned simply with salt, pepper, and lemon zest.
For a bright and eye-popping side dish that perfectly complements Lightning, try this simple dish: Boil cleaned, trimmed wax beans cut in 1 inch pieces in water until just tender, then immediately plunge into cold water. Strain water and toss with olive oil and lemon juice. Chop bacon and heat up in saute pan, adding frozen peas and beans. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon zest. Grate parmesan cheese over beans as they’re served.