I'm Just Here For The Food Part 11

Mode of transmission: 70:30 percent ratio of conduction to convection 70:30 percent ratio of conduction to convection Rate of transmission: high high Common transmitters: any liquid any liquid Temperature range: 212 F at sea level 212 F at sea level Target food characteristics: * Pasta * Pasta* Eggs in the sh.e.l.l* British food* Foods that can stand up to fierce convection currents (see Blanching Blanching) Non-culinary application: sterilizing stuff sterilizing stuffOIL AND PASTA I have received angry letters on this one from hardened pastaholics, but I can find zero science to back up the claim that adding oil to pasta cooking water keeps pasta from sticking. It's as simple as this: pasta is dehydrated, so it wants to be around water, especially hot water, which due to added molecular motion penetrates faster than cold. So you've got a lot of water and a lot of pasta, then you add a tablespoon or two of oil. Considering how oil and water feel about each other, I'd say that Butch and Sundance had a better chance of making it out of that Bolivian bank than that oil has of getting to first base with the pasta. What about during the draining, you say? By the time you get to the sink, most of the oil's back at the surface, so it's the first thing down the drain. If you want oily noodles, drain them thoroughly, then put oil on them.And yet, further testing has convinced me that a tablespoon of oil in the pasta water can help to prevent boil-overs by changing the surface tension at the surface of the water. If you use a really big pot, this isn't much of an issue, but in certain circ.u.mstances the oil could be the difference between a clean cook and a starchy mess.

Boiling is also a position from which the cook retreats, as in "bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer"

A temperature of 212 F at sea level is the point at which water converts to a vapor state, characterized by turbulence, bubbles, and steam production. No matter how heat is applied, once water reaches this point its temperature cannot increase. However, since it conducts heat well, it can heat things very quickly-and heat is heat, regardless of whether it's wet or dry. Heat is also pressure and pressure squeezes juice out of meat via tissue contraction. To make matters worse, you can't look at a piece of meat in boiling water (or in steam, for that matter) and "see" that it's overcooking, because there's no browning. This can work to our advantage. Corned beef, for instance, is traditionally boiled, and most people would say that done properly it's not dried out. In reality, it's boiled to the point that the individual meat fibers break away from each other and thus become tender to the tooth-but they're still dry. Besides, corned beef has been corned, and that changes everything (see Have a Soak Have a Soak).

Once reached, the boiling point is constant, so it's a no-brainer to maintain. Because of its density, fluidity, and constancy of movement, boiling water delivers heat to food faster than any other method. It's also a great way to deliver salt into some foods. And in great enough volumes, boiling water can flush excess starch from foods like pasta.

A rolling boil matters when cooking pasta because it will wash away excess surface starches; heat and agitation are required for the rehydration and gelatinization of starch; and the convection keeps pasta in motion, which keeps it from sticking and helps speed cooking.

In all the cases of boiling, having a large pot and a large volume of freshly drawn, seasoned water is the key. No matter how few servings of pasta I'm cooking, I get out the big pot. It's one of the few aluminum pans I own, and I only use it for processing canning jars and cooking pasta. I need a big pot because I never cook fewer than four servings of pasta and I never cook it in anything less than a gallon of heavily salted water. Dry pasta gets cooked until done (I always pull mine just before I think it's perfect), then drained, and immediately sauced without rinsing. I do not add oil to the water-ever (see Oil and Pasta).

BOILING POINT.

The "boiling point" is considered the North Star of the kitchen world, unwavering and loyal at 212 F. Sure, if you live within a thousand feet of sea level you can count on 212, but as atmospheric pressure rises due to a high-pressure weather system or a physical drop in alt.i.tude, the boiling point rises to the tune of 2 F per 1000 feet. As the barometer goes down and/or the alt.i.tude increases, the boiling point drops 2 F per 1000 feet. This means it takes pasta twice as long to cook in Potosi, Bolivia, as it does in Kaliya, on the sh.o.r.es of the Dead Sea (13,290 feet above and 1,312 below sea level, respectively).The boiling point of water changes a degree (Fahrenheit) for every change of 540 feet in alt.i.tude. So, on Pike's Peak, which tops out at 14,000 feet, water boils at 187 F (I've checked it personally). At 15 psi, the operating pressure of the average pressure cooker, the water boils at close to 250 F. To reach an equivalent temperature in an open pot, you'd have to go to a location at sea level and dig a hole 20,520 feet deep. That's 3.886 miles.

Pumpkin Seed Brittle Just about every candy recipe out there specifies stirring the syrup with a wooden spoon. This is not so that we appear quant and grandmotherly at the range. It's because metal is a very good conductor of heat. As soon as you go stirring with a big ole metal spoon, the heat right next to the metal will be absorbed by it. As it runs up to burn your hand, the temperature of the solution on the surface of the spoon will be reduced. That plus the physical agitation you're providing is all the coaxing the sugar would need to begin crystallizing. That crystallization could rapidly move throughout the pan. Now you don't have brittle, you have pralines. Should that happen, get the goo out immediately and deposit into small rounds on the Silpat. Once they cool, someone will eat them.

Application: BoilingPlace the 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil into a 10-inch saute pan and place over medium heat. Add the pumpkin seeds and toast, keeping them in constant motion until they turn golden brown and begin to pop. If you stop shaking the pan, they'll burn. Remove from heat, add the cinnamon, cayenne, and salt, and stir to combine. Set aside.Lightly rub the sides of the saucier with vegetable oil. Add the sugar and water and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Cover and cook for 5 minutes undisturbed. After 5 minutes, remove the lid and continue cooking until the mixture turns an amber-brown color, approximately 15 to 25 minutes depending on your stovetop. Once the sugar is amber-brown, remove the pan from the heat and gently stir in all of the seeds with a wooden spoon. This will greatly reduce the temperature of the sugar so work quickly. As quickly as you can pour the mixture onto a sheet pan lined with a Silpat, spreading the mixture thin. Cool completely and then break into pieces.A silicone impregnated fibergla.s.s mat. It's the most unsticky thing on the planet. If you don't have one, try heavily greased parchment paper, but not wax paper (unless you like the flavor of crayons).

Yield: 4 cups brittleNote: When sugar syrups turn brown it's a sign that they have moved from hot, through searing, beyond lava-like, into the realm of napalm. So be careful. When sugar syrups turn brown it's a sign that they have moved from hot, through searing, beyond lava-like, into the realm of napalm. So be careful.Software: 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, plus extra for the saucier 1 cups hulled pumpkin seeds (these are the green ones) teaspoon cinnamon teaspoon cayenne pepper teaspoon kosher salt 3 cups sugar Hardware: 10-inch saute pan 10-inch saute pan 3 to 4 quart saucier with lid Kitchen timer Paper towel Half sheet pan Silpat to fit half sheet pan Wooden spoon

Sugar Snap Peas with Spicy Lemon Dipping Sauce Application: BlanchingFirst the peas. Bring 2 quarts of water and the salt to a boil in a 4-quart saucepan, covered, over high heat. Add the peas and cook uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the peas and immediately plunge into ice water. Drain and set aside. The actual time of course will depend on the peas. These aren't big ole green beans, and few things are as awful as limp sugar snaps. So stay right with them as they cook. Bring 2 quarts of water and the salt to a boil in a 4-quart saucepan, covered, over high heat. Add the peas and cook uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the peas and immediately plunge into ice water. Drain and set aside. The actual time of course will depend on the peas. These aren't big ole green beans, and few things are as awful as limp sugar snaps. So stay right with them as they cook.Liquids in covered pans really do come to a boil much Faster than liquids that don't.

Beans in covered pans really do brown quickly because of the buildup of a.s.sorted chemicals, such as acids that although released from the beans, can turn them drab as well.

Then the dip. In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, red pepper flakes and tarragon. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, red pepper flakes and tarragon. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.Even if the dip is perfect and the peas are dead on, the dish will fail if the peas are wet. Once they've chilled down, dry them well or the dip just won't stick...and that would be sad.Yield: Appetizer for 6 to 8 people. (Personally, I can finish off a whole batch by myself.) Software:For the peas: Heavy pinch kosher salt Heavy pinch kosher salt 12 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed and rinsed (approximately 4 cups) For the sauce: cup mayonnaise cup mayonnaise cup sour cream Zest from one lemon, chopped fine 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 teaspoon red chili flakes 1 teaspoon dried tarragon Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper Hardware: 4-quart saucepan 4-quart saucepan Microplane or other fine texture grater Cutting board Chef's knife Colander Ice Large metal mixing bowl Medium mixing bowl Whisk

Blanching

Boiling water is at the heart of this technique, but since it's the most powerful tool we have in the war against mushy, olive-drab, nasty-tasting vegetables, blanching deserves its own section here. Blanching is the process by which foods (usually fruits and firm green vegetables) are par-boiled briefly in salted water then quickly moved to ice water to halt the cooking process. (Blanching is often followed by another quick-cooking method such as sauteing.) Why bother with all this? Because vegetables are merciless time bombs just waiting to go off and ruin dinner. Don't believe me? Grab a razor blade, a spear of asparagus, and a really big microscope.

Take a thin slice of the asparagus and look at it under the scope. It looks kind of like a box of Christmas ornaments. There are neat, enclosed cells containing various substances and mechanisms. Chlorophyll production here, food stores there, digestive enzymes in another, reproductive information in yet another. All kept safe and sound by cell walls, which are made out of a kind of plant cement, which is then reinforced with fibers (cellulose) just like concrete walls are reinforced with steel rods. The outer walls are encased in a waxy cuticle that keeps the whole thing air- and watertight. All is well, all is raw . . . all is unpalatable.

Now we drop the asparagus in rapidly boiling water. The temperature of the water drops quickly, but since we have a lot of water and leave the heat on high, the boil will recover soon. Almost immediately the cuticle and cement (pectins and whatnot) begin to soften from the heat and moisture. Within seconds the color begins to brighten because the oxygen and other ga.s.ses that were deflecting light away from the pigment in the chlorophyll dissipate out into the water. So do the acids that ordinarily would jump on those same pigments and turn them army green. Again, a lot of water will help flush those away as will a quick return to a boil, and an open pot (the gases have to be able to escape). If the target vegetable reaches satisfactory doneness before 6 or 7 minutes go by, you've got it made. The color, most of the nutrients, and the best of the flavor will be preserved. Pulling the food with a slotted strainer (good for working in batches) and moving it to ice water will immediately stop the destruction.

BOILING IN THE MICROWAVE.

You want a cup of tea but you don't want to wait for the kettle to boil so you take one of your really nice china cups and fill it with water. You place the cup in the middle of your microwave oven's carousel and turn the big box to high for 3 minutes and go about your business.Three minutes later the chime chimes and you pop open the door. Whistling a happy tune, you reach in and gingerly grasp the handle of your cup. You lift gently and without any warning whatsoever the water erupts out of the cup like Old Faithful with an att.i.tude. A good portion of this water lands on your hand, scalding you badly. You drop your favorite cup (which breaks) and you howl like the injured animal you are.How could this happen when the water wasn't even boiling? A few reasons. In order to reach a boil there must be microscopic crags, chips, burrs, or cracks present on the surface for dissolved gases to meet and acc.u.mulate on. If the vessel in question is super smooth, the gases may not get together and undertake their bubbly journey. In the future, place a wooden skewer or even a toothpick in the water so that there will be coalescing points for the water vapor to gather. You'll be glad you did.But if that china cup has lead in the glaze, your fingers will still be toast.

STEAM: THE SHORT FORM.

* If you're using unfiltered tap water, let it boil for at least a minute before adding the food and covering the pot. If you're using unfiltered tap water, let it boil for at least a minute before adding the food and covering the pot. * * Don't waste time with a flavored liquid unless its on it's way to becoming a sauce. Don't waste time with a flavored liquid unless its on it's way to becoming a sauce. * * Use tongs and dry dishtowels or potholders when removing lids. Unlike boiling water, steam moves out and up very quickly-and it bites. Use tongs and dry dishtowels or potholders when removing lids. Unlike boiling water, steam moves out and up very quickly-and it bites. * * Season foods before steaming if possible. This includes salt and pepper. Marinating or brining is a good idea too. Season foods before steaming if possible. This includes salt and pepper. Marinating or brining is a good idea too. * * Consider herbs. As steam heat pushes inward, it can take flavors with it, especially if the herbs have strong essential oils: try mint, basil, and members of the onion family. Consider herbs. As steam heat pushes inward, it can take flavors with it, especially if the herbs have strong essential oils: try mint, basil, and members of the onion family. * * Don't go heavy on the water. One of the great things about steam is how fast it happens. A mere 1 cup of water in a 5-quart pot will produce steam for 15 to 30 minutes over medium-high heat, depending on the simmer range of the cook top. Don't go heavy on the water. One of the great things about steam is how fast it happens. A mere 1 cup of water in a 5-quart pot will produce steam for 15 to 30 minutes over medium-high heat, depending on the simmer range of the cook top.

What happens if you forget to pull the vegetables out in time? Think of a botanical prison riot. You see, the stuff in those little cells doesn't necessarily get along, which is one of the reasons they're in cells to start with. If the walls break down enough, those substances will begin to chew on each other, acid on base, enzyme on protein . . . it's ugly. The gentle green pigments are the first to go, and the last are the fibers, the tough cellulose that so proudly held that little stem erect. And once the outer walls fail, those substances (including flavor and nutrients) will hightail it for the open sea. Now you're faced with a choice: serve your disgusting, mushy veggies, or try to make soup with them.

Even with perfectly timed cooking, blanched vegetables won't hold their color forever. Leave them sitting around in an acidic environment such as a salad dressing or a marinade and their color will be lost.

Blanching is also one of the easiest methods for peeling thin-skinned fruits such as peaches or tomatoes. That same cell breakdown that allows the color to brighten lets you remove the skin in a few quick peels, with no damage to the flesh underneath.

Steam

Through no fault of its own, steam has become the official cooking medium of the food inquisition, who use its power to inflict needless suffering on dieters who, thinking that if it's bland it's good for them, don't know to fight back. But if used only for good, steam is a powerful ally.

Vaporous H2O is the result whenever heat produces enough molecular motion to break hydrogen bonds and enough internal pressure is generated to overcome atmospheric pressure.

Master Profile: Steam Heat type: wet wet

Mode of transmission: 65:35 percent conduction to convection ratio 65:35 percent conduction to convection ratio Rate of transmission: very high very high Common transmitters: any liquid any liquidTemperature range: 213 F and up (depending on atmospheric pressure) 213 F and up (depending on atmospheric pressure) Target food characteristics: * Delicate meats and vegetables that would be destroyed by the convection of boiling * Delicate meats and vegetables that would be destroyed by the convection of boiling* Wide range of vegetables Culinary advantages: steam doesn't extract and wash away food components the way immersion methods do steam doesn't extract and wash away food components the way immersion methods do Non-culinary application: riverboat, locomotive, nuclear sub riverboat, locomotive, nuclear sub I own two actual steaming devices. The first is a typical folding steamer basket (the kind that looks just like the laser-dealing satellite from Diamonds Are Forever Diamonds Are Forever, only without the diamonds). The second is an Asian-style bamboo steamer. Despite its ultra-low price tag I really, really dislike it. It's amazingly inefficient, makes everything taste like dry gra.s.s, and is impossible to clean. But when my daughter was an infant, we needed a way to steam lots of vegetables at once while keeping them separated from one another before pureeing them and we needed something that would stack. I later discovered a company that makes metal stacking steamers, but the kid's on to more solid fare, so I'll pa.s.s.

I employ four different steaming rigs depending on the food in question: * The collapsible metal steamer basket, a rapid-response tool that I grab when I've absolutely, positively got to get a green vegetable cooked and on the table in five minutes. I also use it to roast chiles over a gas burner. * The collapsible metal steamer basket, a rapid-response tool that I grab when I've absolutely, positively got to get a green vegetable cooked and on the table in five minutes. I also use it to roast chiles over a gas burner.* A pair of dinner plates in a wide, low pan (see ill.u.s.tration A A).* A steel colander with its handles crushed inward so that it'll fit in a pot (B).* Aluminum foil pouches (C).

Steamed Whole Fish Application: SteamHave the fishmonger clean the fish, remove the gills, and scale it for you. Using a clean utility knife that can be set to a specific depth, score the fish on each side by making diagonal slashes in the flesh, about -inch deep, in a cross-hatch pattern, 5 or 6 slashes per side. Rinse the fish under cold water and season with salt and pepper. Rub half of the garlic and shallots into the slashes and lay the fish on a plate. Set another plate face-down into a braising pan and add enough water to come two-thirds of the way up the side of the plate. Place the plate with the fish on top of the bottom of the plate in the pan. Pour the vinegar on the top plate. Bring the water to a boil over high heat and cover the pan. Steam for about 10 minutes. Check the fish for doneness by gently lifting at the flesh with a fork. When it easily pulls away from the bone it is done. Carefully lift the fish to a serving plate and loosely cover with foil. Carefully pour the liquid that has acc.u.mulated on the top plate into a small sauce pan and heat the jus jus to a simmer. Heat a saute pan and add the oil. When the oil is nice and hot, add the remaining garlic and shallots and saute until brown. Add the chile flakes and basil and fry for a few seconds. Remove the foil from the fish and pour the hot oil over it. It will make a sizzling noise as the skin fries. Serve immediately, with a ramekin of the simmered to a simmer. Heat a saute pan and add the oil. When the oil is nice and hot, add the remaining garlic and shallots and saute until brown. Add the chile flakes and basil and fry for a few seconds. Remove the foil from the fish and pour the hot oil over it. It will make a sizzling noise as the skin fries. Serve immediately, with a ramekin of the simmered jus jus on the side. on the side.Yield: 1 whole fish for one person, easily doubled Software: 1 (1-pound) whole round fish 1 (1-pound) whole round fish (Snapper, rockfish, or sea ba.s.s are good choices) Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons thinly sliced garlic 2 tablespoons minced shallots cup herbed vinegar such as tarragon or basil cup olive oil 1 teaspoon chile flakes 1 tablespoon fresh basil, cut into fine chiffonade Hardware: Clean utility or matte knife Clean utility or matte knife Braising pan with lid (or aluminum foil to cover) 2 steamproof plates large enough to hold the fish and fit into the pan Small sauce pan Saute pan Serving plate

Savory Savoy Wraps These little gems are easy and delicious. You can make them as large as an egg roll or as small as a dolma depending on the size of the leaves.

Application: SteamLightly blanch the cabbage leaves so that they can be rolled without breaking (see Note Note). In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients except the cabbage leaves and season the filling with salt and pepper. Lay out a cabbage leaf, inside down (it's greener and prettier), and make a small pile of filling in the center. Roll into a tight package. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling, placing the rolls in a steamer basket, seam side down. Put enough water in a pot to come almost to the bottom of the steamer and bring to a boil. Put the lid on the pot slightly askew to allow steam to escape. Steam for 8 to 10 minutes.Yield: 2 servings (or 4 appetizers)Note: To blanch the leaves, simply immerse them in boiling salted water for 30 seconds and then immerse them in ice water to cool. Drain and pat dry with a towel. To blanch the leaves, simply immerse them in boiling salted water for 30 seconds and then immerse them in ice water to cool. Drain and pat dry with a towel.Software: 8 large Savoy cabbage leaves 8 large Savoy cabbage leaves pound sweet Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled 1 cup peeled apple slices 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 cup finely diced potatoes Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper Hardware: Mixing bowl Mixing bowl Large pot Steamer basket

Steamed Cauliflower and Broccoli Sounds weird, looks a little odd, but boy is it delicious.

Application: SteamingPlace a collapsible steamer basket in a large pot. Add water almost to the bottom of the basket. Bring to a boil, then add the egg to the basket, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and steam for 6 minutes.Add the vegetables to the basket and steam for another 6 minutes.Using tongs, remove the egg to a bowl of ice water. With fireproof gloves, grab the center rod of the steamer basket (they all have one, though for the life of me I can't figure out why) and remove it to the counter with the vegetables still on board.Peel the egg and shred it through the fine side of a box grater.Heat the saute pan over medium heat, then add 1 tablespoon of the b.u.t.ter. When the foaming subsides, toss in of the bread crumbs and of the grated egg then salt and pepper to taste. Stir until the crumbs begin to brown, then add of the florets. Stir to coat, then transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, making 2 more batches.Why cook this in stages? Crowding the pan will mean more stirring, which can break the vegetables apart-and that would be bad.Yield: 6 side servingsSoftware: 1 egg 1 egg head cauliflower, cut into florets 1 head broccoli, cut into florets 3 tablespoons b.u.t.ter cup panko (j.a.panese bread crumbs) Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper Hardware: Steamer basket Steamer basket Large pot with lid Tongs Fireproof gloves Box grater Saute pan

Sweet Onion Custard For more about custards and eggs, see the Eggs-cetera Eggs-cetera section. section.Application: SteamIn a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, stock, and vinegar. Season with salt and white pepper. Divide the onions evenly among 4 ramekins and pour in the egg mixture to fill. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil and set the ramekins in a steamer basket. Place steamer over a large pot of water at a low boil and gently steam for 12 to 15 minutes until custard is set but not firm. Serve hot.Yield: 4 servingsNote: Onions will reduce by half as you caramelize them, so begin with 1 cup of thinly sliced onions. Place a pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of b.u.t.ter per onion. When the b.u.t.ter has melted, toss the onions to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they are brown and soft. Onions will reduce by half as you caramelize them, so begin with 1 cup of thinly sliced onions. Place a pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of b.u.t.ter per onion. When the b.u.t.ter has melted, toss the onions to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they are brown and soft.

Software: 3 eggs 3 eggs 1 cups chicken stock 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar Kosher salt Freshly ground white pepper cup caramelized onions (see Note Note) Hardware: Mixing bowl Mixing bowl Whisk 4 ramekins Plastic wrap Aluminum foil Steamer basket Large pot

Ramen Radiator This is the coolest dish in the book, which is not to say that you shouldn't try the rest of the recipes. I just think this dish delivers huge dividends on a very meager investment.

Application: SteamPreheat the oven to 400 F. Heat a saute pan over high heat, add the oils, then add the mushrooms and toss; cook until caramelized, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Break the "loaf " of noodles into 2 equal parts. Season the fish with salt and white pepper, spread a little honey on each filet, and sprinkle with chili flakes. Line the serving bowls with aluminum foil, making sure there is a lot hanging over the edges. Lay one half-loaf of noodles in each bowl and top with the fish. Spread the shrimp, mushrooms, and onions around the bottom. Top with the scallions. Pull the foil up around the food and crimp it to seal, leaving one tiny opening in each pouch. Mix the liquids together and pour half into each pouch and then seal. Set the pouches on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 22 to 25 minutes. Set the pouches back in the bowls and open at the table. A delicious aroma will fill the air as the steam escapes. Serve with chopsticks and a spoon to eat the "soup."Yield: 2 servingsSoftware: 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 teaspoon sesame oil 8 ounces brown mushrooms, sliced (preferably cremini or s.h.i.+take, but not b.u.t.ton) 1 (3-ounce) package ramen noodles 2 (8-ounce) halibut or other mild white-fish filets (salmon also works well) Kosher salt Freshly ground white pepper 1 tablespoon honey Pinch of chili flakes 6 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined Vidalia onion, sliced Lyonnaise-style 4 scallions, sliced on a bias 2 tablespoons soy sauce cup mirin (sweet rice wine) 2 cups miso or vegetable stock (if using miso, the measurement is 2 teaspoons miso paste for 2 cups water) Hardware: Saute pan Saute pan 2 large serving bowls Aluminum foil Baking sheet

CHAPTER 6.

Braising

Proof positive that dry and wet heat can get along in the same recipe.

Amazing Braise

Braising and stewing are compound methods that begin with searing or pan-frying and finish with simmering, and as far as I'm concerned, braises and stews are the finest edibles on earth. They've got it all: caramelized crusts, tender interiors, and of course . . . sauce. They've got it all: caramelized crusts, tender interiors, and of course . . . sauce. A braised dish typically contains either a large piece of meat or smaller pieces that are left whole. Pot roast is typically a braise, as is A braised dish typically contains either a large piece of meat or smaller pieces that are left whole. Pot roast is typically a braise, as is os...o...b..co os...o...b..co (braised veal or lamb shanks). The meat is seared in a hot pan to brown the exterior, then cold liquid is added (along with vegetables or other bits and pieces), the vessel is covered, and the dish is simmered for as long as it takes for the collagen in the meat to dissolve into gelatin. In a stew the meat is usually cut into bite-size chunks, which are sometimes dusted with flour, seared, then just covered with a flavorful liquid. A stew is as much about the liquid as the meat. (braised veal or lamb shanks). The meat is seared in a hot pan to brown the exterior, then cold liquid is added (along with vegetables or other bits and pieces), the vessel is covered, and the dish is simmered for as long as it takes for the collagen in the meat to dissolve into gelatin. In a stew the meat is usually cut into bite-size chunks, which are sometimes dusted with flour, seared, then just covered with a flavorful liquid. A stew is as much about the liquid as the meat.

(Besides beef stew, consider beef Stroganoff, blanquette of veal, and chili.) COLLAGEN AND GELATIN.

Animal muscle is composed of bunches of meat fibers held together by connective tissue. Cuts of meat from parts of animals that don't do much work don't have a lot of connective tissue, but parts that either work a lot or have a lot of bone, do. However, not all connective tissue is created equal. See, some of the tissues don't do much but shrink up and get chewy when they meet heat-we can refer to those as gristle. But others are coated in a protein collagen, and under the right circ.u.mstances collagen dissolves into gelatin, the stuff that brings body to homemade stocks and helps your family's favorite gelatin mold set.Note that this transformation of collagen to gelatin takes time. In fact, to do it right takes a lot of time. (That is, unless you swap hours on the clock for pressure; for more on pressure cookers pressure cookers.) How does this magical change happen, you ask? Gelatin is obtained by the hydrolysis of collagen, a process that is catalyzed by enzymes called collagenases. It all has to do with a slow, low, moist, covered cooking method. Taking the slow and low approach allows for increased conversion of collagen to gelatin and reduces the chance of over-coagulated muscle fibers. Upon cooling, the gelatinized protein partially resets, and can hold added moisture, resulting in a meat that is moist and flavorful.

The problem with most braising and stewing recipes is that they call for too much of a weak thing-liquid. Meat, like most living tissue, is mostly water, a good bit of which is wrung out of the meat during the long cooking necessary to render the meat tender. That liquid leaches out, and unless the liquid added by the cook is very concentrated, the result is a very weak sauce.24 The key is to start with a flavorful liquid, reduce it, then let the meat liquids reconst.i.tute it. Start with a quart of liquid, reduce it to a pint, and you'll have a quart of rich sauce at the end of cooking. The key is to start with a flavorful liquid, reduce it, then let the meat liquids reconst.i.tute it. Start with a quart of liquid, reduce it to a pint, and you'll have a quart of rich sauce at the end of cooking.

The braising of tough cuts of meat reminds me of an old saying that one hears quite a bit in the film business: You can have it fast, you can have it cheap, you can have it good. Choose any two.

The catch-22 of braising and stewing is that when it comes to tough cuts like chuck, brisket, ribs, and shanks, you can't have moist and tender. It's simply impossible. Here's why.

The metamorphosis of collagen to gelatin requires moisture, time, and heat. Since there's already a good bit of moisture in meat, the amount we need to add is relatively low. The heat required however (a minimum of 140 F, but most often at temperatures close to boiling), would certainly qualify as well done in anything other than the darkest meat of poultry. That's because as meat heats up, the individual muscle bundles tighten up like fists around wet sponges. The meat literally wrings itself out into the pan where it either waters down whatever flavorful liquid has been introduced or evaporates. That means that by the time the collagen conversion is just cranking up, a significant portion of the meat's juice is in motion. And since several hours can pa.s.s before the process is complete, we can only deduce that tender meat is dry meat. Sounds logical, but how is it that braises and stews are some of the most lip-smackin' foods known to man?

Despite the fact that there is very little liquid, the vessel is covered and the heat is low (we a.s.sume). This is not braising because too little of the food is in contact with the liquid.

Since more of the food is in contact with the liquid this could be considered braising, but since only half the food is in direct contact, it isn't very effective.

For one thing, if you cook most meats long enough in a wet environment, they will eventually relax, and just like a sponge, they'll reabsorb some liquid, but not nearly enough to feel moist in the mouth. The real trick is to capture two other liquids in the meat: melted fat and dissolved gelatin.