Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Dinner help...

So, I'm into braising stuff these days. What's braising, you say? Allow me to give you my interpretation (meaning this may not actually be the truth, but it's how I braise things, therefore it works for me!)

Braising a cut of meat (for me) involves first browning it (this gives the meat a great flavor, and creates some depth in the final product) then removing it, then adding aromatics into the pot/pan (aromatics = things like onions, shallots, garlic, peppers, etc...) and then adding liquid (wine, broth, water, etc..) and then putting the meat back in and a lid on. The meat cooks in the liquid, either on the stove or in the oven.

Why braise? For me, it satisfies two of my main goals in cooking - simple (Monday - Friday for me is all about simple, quick and easy) and often much cheaper. You can take cheaper cuts of meat, or tougher cuts of meat (often, the tougher the meat the cheaper, because these cuts are much less popular in general). Even better, when meat is braised, it can become so tender that even the toughest cuts can be cut with a spatula...

The only problem with braising meat is that most recipes take hours and hours of cooking, which I don't have after work. So, I've been searching for recipes that are QUICK.

This week I tried a Mediterranean Chicken recipe and cooked the chicken in broth and wine with prunes, carrots and onions and tonight I'm trying Chile-Garlic Chicken Legs.
Bottom line - does anyone have any great, quick braising recipes? Please share!

1 comment:

  1. that was a scrumptious din, Sweetie. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete