Recipe - About Braising Vegetables

One fourth cup Water
2 cup Vegetables

*Braising is similar to stewing but uses less liquid compared to
watersteaming, it develops greater nuances of flavor and preserves more
color in vegetables.

*Some recipes for braised vegetables call for a combination of cooking
methods: Certain ingredients usually carrots or other densetextured
vegetables—may be first sauteed in oil or butter to develop color and
flavor, then cooked slowly in a small amount of liquid: wine, sherry,
vegetable stock, defatted beef or chicken stock, or a combination of these.

*The steamfilled atmosphere inside a tightly covered pan or casserole
releases the food's essential oils and juices, enhancing the taste and
aroma of the vegetables and creating an appetizing glaze.

*Any root vegetable carrots, onions, leeks, celeriac is a candidate
for braising; so are celery, cabbage, Belgian endive, fennel and broccoli,
or a medley of these vegetables. Swiss chard, kale and mustard braise well
if cooked in a very small amount of liquid until barely wilted.

TIPS **Start the braising process with about One fourth cup liquid per 2 cups of
vegetables, adding more only if the food cooks dry before it is tender.

**Any heatproof casserole with a tightfighting lid can be used for
braising as long as the dish conducts heat well.

**Braising can be done on top of the stove or in an oven.

**Braising times depend on the variety of vegetables used, their size and
shape, their maturity and freshness.

See "Braised Carrots and Baby Onions in White Wine" for sample recipe

*Universal Press Syndicate, 1998/04/08 Riverside PE
Hanneman/Buster/McRecipe

Recipe by: Annette Gooch, UPS

Posted to MCRecipe Digest by KitPATh phannema@wizard.ucr.edu on Apr 08,
1998