Roasting or Braising, either way it is DAMN TASTY!

Two tasty techniques and 2 weeks worth of classes teaching me how to do it right!

As you look around the Food Universe right now. TV, Books, Magazines are all touting the virtues of braising. And they are RIGHT! It is a damn fine way to cook up some yummy goodness.

What I think is missing in these venues is a reality check that it doesn't need to take 5, 6, or 8 hours as I have seen in some recipes. Not when there is SPEED BRAISING. A resturaunt level technique that can do you just fine at home too. This is a fairly easy task that can take HOURS off of the cooking time.

To start, get all of your prep work done. Clean up your proteins, cut your veggies and get a vessel to hold your protein filled up with the braising liquid, or cuisson, to a good rolling simmer. While that is going, get a saute pan smoking hot, get your oil smokin hot and sear the protein of choice. Not to cook it, just to get a good caramalization and prep it to drop into the cuisson. Once seared get it into the liquid and back to a rolling simmer. In that same pan, caramalize the veggies, add some tomato product(sauce, paste, puree) and caramalize it. Degrease you veggies in a colander and get it back into the pan. Deglaze, aka add alcohol or stock, to get the fond off the bottom of the pan and reduce that by half. Throw the veg mix into the couisson and simmer. Get the braise going in the oven. Covered or uncovered will only add to your checking or take away SOME reducing time once you remove the proteins. Just be sure to have the proteins covered. Add more stock if necessary.

Get the vessel out of the oven, get your protein out of the coisson, strain the veg and start reducing the coisson for your sauce. If you need to, put it in a smaller sauce pan and keep reducing until it coats the back of a spoon. When it is close you can get any number of things in there to add to the flavor. Truffle butter, cream, or even a small splash of booze.

This whole process should take you about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. About an hour of that, you can really just walk away. It is fast and furious for the first half hour, then it is smooth sailing for the remainder. Easy right? Everyone wants easy and cheap. Once you get that sequence down pat, you are all set for many nites of yummy treats. In an economy like ours, buying the cheaper, less "valued" cuts of proteins can put a ton of cash in your pocket for just a little more effort. You won't need much convincing once you taste that sauce for the first time though. YUM!

As for roasting . . . COME ON! How good is some roasted Veg or a nice chicken. Fills the place up with good smells, makes a great meal, better for you and again; supper easy. Trussing the bird can hel cook more evenly, but if you are not comfy with that, get some metal skewers and pin the legs and wings in. Coat with some canola and butter mix (50/50), salt and pepper, put some aromatics in the cavity(carrot, celery, herbs, lemon) and throw it in the oven. GOOD AS DONE! Deglaze that pan, make your sauce and EAT UP!

This week is another quiz . . .UGH! I think it really helps and all, but I hate test. Maybe that is why I always feel well prepared. I am doing pretty well academically a this point and I am very happy with my progress. The longer I am in class, the more I get the bug to maybe do this for real. I just not sure this love of chefery can allow my brains to start over in a career.

Ah questions . . .