Seasonal Cooking with Chef Ethel Pangborn Fall Session: Roasting and Braising Once you learn these fundamental techniques, you ll be able to handle most recipes that use them. And while recipes are a great road map of how someone else got there, one of the true joys of cooking is finding your own path. Roasting Roasting is a dry method of cooking usually using more tender cuts of meat (poultry, rib roast, tenderloin) or vegetables. Roasting is used for a well-browned exterior and a moist interior. Make sure your roasting pan is the correct size for what you re cooking. If it s too big it may burn. If it s too small the meat will stick to the sides. If it s too shallow, it may overflow. If it s too deep, your food will steam not roast. Large cuts of meat should be removed from the refrigerator for ½ hour before cooking. This allows the meat to cook more evenly. Preheat the oven before putting the meat or vegetables in to cook. Take into account that bones conduct heat, so meat with bones requires slightly less cooking time than boneless cuts. Allow 1 pound of meat per person for meat with bones and ½ pound for boneless meat. Braising Steps to braising 1) Meat or vegetables should be cut roughly the same size to ensure even cooking 2) Heat a heavy frying pan, and then add a little oil. 3) Season the meat or vegetables on both sides 4) Add the meat or vegetables, and sauté at high heat to quickly brown the outside. (This adds color and flavor) 5) When nicely browned, add enough liquid to the pan to come about half way up the sides of the meat or vegetables. 6) At this point you have 2 options: 1) Lower the heat and simmer the recipe slowly until everything is tender or 2) place the whole pan (provided it s over-proof) in the oven and bake it. What s important is that the meat or vegetables cook slowly in the liquid and that the liquid never evaporates. 7) Check for doneness.
Tips for braising 1) Braising vegetables takes less time than braising meats. 2) Vegetables that braise well include all root vegetables, and fruit such as apples and pineapples. 3) Braising is a cooking method usually used for tougher cuts of meat (pot roast, rumps, shanks, ribs, and poultry legs and thighs) and sometimes for vegetables. 4) The collagen in meat is a connective tissue that changes to gelatin when cooked slowly in water and softens the surrounding muscle. Collagen is highest in parts most used by the animal. 5) Stewing is similar to braising, but in stewing the liquid typically covers the meat. Crisp Oven Roasted Potatoes (white or sweet potatoes) 1 ½ pounds of potatoes peeled and sliced thin (about 3 large potatoes) 3 Tablespoons melted butter, canola oil, or olive oil Salt and pepper to taste If using sweet potatoes add 1 tablespoon of orange zest and squeeze orange juice over potatoes. 1) Preheat oven to 450 F. 2) Peel and thinly slice potatoes and place in a bowl of cold water to rinse off excess starch. Drain and pat dry. 3) Dry the bowl and return the potatoes to it. Toss the slices to coat them with oil and whatever seasonings you have chosen. 4) Arrange the seasoned potato slices neatly in a nonstick baking dish, pan, or cast iron skillet. Place them in the upper middle level of the preheated oven. Roast for 20 minutes. 5) Open the oven door, pull rack out slightly and press potatoes down with a spatula. Continue roasting for 20 more minutes until potatoes are crispy and lightly brown. 6) Remove from oven and turn out onto a serving platter.
Polenta 4 cups vegetable stock, chicken stock, or water 1 cup coarse ground cornmeal ½ cup grated cheese (parmesan, Swiss, mozzarella, cheddar) Salt and pepper to taste 1) Bring 3 cups of water or stock to a boil. 2) Combine 1 cup of cornmeal with remaining cup of cold water or stock and stir mixture into boiling liquid. 3) Reduce heat stirring constantly until cornmeal thickens. Add grated cheese and seasoning. Continue cooking on low heat until it is the consistency of mashed potatoes. Roasted Winter Vegetables 1 large white potato scrubbed 1 large sweet potato scrubbed 1 large carrot scrubbed 1 large onion peeled ½ acorn squash seeded and peeled 1 rutabaga peeled 1 parsnip peeled 1 turnip peeled 5 brussels sprouts trimmed 4 Tablespoons olive oil 6 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar ½ Tablespoon chopped rosemary (optional) ½ Tablespoon chopped thyme (optional) ½ Tablespoon rubbed sage (optional) ½ Tablespoon chopped oregano (optional) Salt and pepper 1) Preheat oven to 450 F. 2) Cut all vegetables into 1-inch chucks. 3) Place them into a large mixing bowl. Toss with oil, vinegar, and seasonings of your choice. 4) Transfer veggies from the mixing bowl to a large roasting pan or casserole dish. The veggies must be in a single layer or they will steam instead of roasting. 5) Place on middle rack in the oven. Roast for 20 minutes. 6) Turn vegetables with a spatula. Continue roasting for 25 minutes. 7) Remove them from the oven and serve on a platter.
Cider Braised Chicken Thighs with Apples and Onions (or Pork Chops) 8 chicken thighs thoroughly rinsed and patted dry 3 large apples peeled, cored, and sliced 1 medium onion julienne (peeled, cut in half, sliced thin) 1½ teaspoon dry herb mixture (oregano, thyme, lavender, sage, rosemary) 3 cups apple cider Seasoned flour for dredging Canola oil for sautéing Chopped parsley for garnish 1) Preheat oven to 450 F. 2) Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess. 3) Sauté in a heavy skillet over medium heat until lightly brown. Hold in a deep baking dish. Continue sautéing all chicken. 4) Add oil when necessary so skillet is not dry. 5) Sauté apples and onions until apples are soft and onions are translucent. Stir in dry herbs of your choice. 6) Place them over the chicken in the baking dish. 7) Pour apple cider over all. Cover tightly with foil or a tight fitting lid. 8) Place in the oven on middle rack. Cook for 35 to 40 minutes or until chicken is done. 9) Remove from oven and transfer to serving platter and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with Crisp Oven Roasted Potatoes, mashed potatoes, or rice.
Chunky Beef Stew 3 to 4 pounds boneless beef stew meat cut into cubes about 1 ½ to 2 inches (top round or chuck works best as it holds together and doesn t fall apart and shred as would rib, rump, or eye of round meat) Canola oil 2 cups sliced onions 2 cups sliced carrots 6 cups liquid (red wine or beef broth or both) 6 cloves of garlic peeled and smashed 2 cups chopped tomatoes 1 bay leaf 1 teaspoon thyme Salt Flour for dredging the meat Preheat the oven to 425 F. Browning the meat. 1) Dredge meat in flour and shake off excess. 2) Film the frying pan with 1/16 inch of oil and set over medium heat. 3) Brown as many pieces of meat as will fit in one layer without crowding. Turn frequently to brown on all sides 3 5 minutes; transfer the pieces as they are done to the casserole. 4) Scatter a little flour over the meat in the casserole and shake it around so the flour is absorbed into the meat. This will thicken the sauce as it braises in the oven. 5) Sauté the slices vegetables and garlic, stirring and tossing for 3 to 4 minutes to brown lightly before scraping them out over the beef. 6) Add the liquid to the casserole; fold in the tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, and salt to taste. You should have enough liquid almost to cover the beef; add more if needed. 7) Cover tightly with foil or a tight fitting lid. Place in the oven for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 325 F. and braise for 2 ½ - 3 hours stirring occasionally. 8) Meanwhile cube 1 ½ cups of peeled potatoes and steam or boil and set aside. 9) Sauté ½ cup of fresh mushroom caps if you wish and set aside. 10) During the last 20 minutes of braising add these optional vegetables to the stew to heat through. Check seasoning and add if necessary. This recipe is from Julia Child s cookbook, The Way to Cook.
Buttermilk Biscuits 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 Tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar 6 Tablespoons solid vegetable shortening or butter 1 cup buttermilk 1) Preheat oven to 425 F. 2) Grease a 9 by 12 baking dish and set it aside. 3) Put the flour, baking, powder, and salt in a large bowl and stir with a fork just to mix. Add the shortening. 4) Roll it around in the flour and with the tips of your fingers break it up into lima bean size pieces. 5) Stir in the buttermilk just to mix. 6) Turn out onto a floured surface and knead 7 or 8 times. Do not overwork. Roll dough out to about 9 inches across. 7) Cut biscuits with a 2 inch biscuit cutter. Place on the baking sheet. If you want the sides soft, let them touch. If you want the sides crisp, set them apart. You may brush the tops with melted butter. 8) Place on the middle rack in the oven. Bake 12-14 minutes until tops are golden brown.
Corn Muffins with Berries 1 coarse cornmeal 1 all-purpose flour 2Tablespoons granulated sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoons salt 1 large egg 1 cup buttermilk 1 Tablespoon melted butter 1 cup fresh berries 1) Preheat the oven to 425 F. 2) Lightly grease or line with paper baking cups twelve 2 ¾ inch muffin cups. 3) In a large bowl mix all dry ingredients together. 4) In a medium bowl beat wet ingredients together. 5) Fold in berries. 6) Stir wet mixture into dry mixture just until dry is moistened. 7) Spoon mixture into prepared muffin cups. 8) Bake 15-20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. 9) Cool in pan 5 minutes and serve warm. Or turn muffins out onto a wire rack and cool completely.