Braised Vegetables

This winter I have been working by way through Molly Stevens, All About Braising, the art of uncomplicated cooking. She delivers clear, concise, and delicious recipes. Braising is my favorite way to cook, I have enjoyed reading, and trying new ways with vegetables that I had been cooking the same old way I was used to. Molly goes into detail about long braising with different cuts of meat versus short braising usually done with many vegetables, poultry an seafood. Here are links to a couple of her recipes for vegetables that I have tried. I am linking to these because it is easier than typing the detailed recipes and you can see a photo of the finished product.

http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2008/11/worlds-best-braised-cabbage-2.html

http://deltakitchen.blogspot.com/2010/01/cauliflower-potatoes-peas-indian-style.html

[Robin Garr]

http://deltakitchen.blogspot.com/2010/01/cauliflower-potatoes-peas-indian-style.html

Okay, this one - "Cauliflower, Potatoes & Peas Indian-Style" - appears to be very much like the procedure that I recently got in trouble for defining as "a short braise for veggies." This person seems to agree. And not, it is not a glaze.

http://deltakitchen.blogspot.com/2010/01/cauliflower-potatoes-peas-indian-style.html

Okay, this one - "Cauliflower, Potatoes & Peas Indian-Style" - appears to be very much like the procedure that I recently got in trouble for defining as "a short braise for veggies." This person seems to agree. And not, it is not a glaze.

She has an entire chapter devoted to the braising of vegetables. I have braised potatoes, and green beans for a long time, but it has been fun to expand my choice of veggies done this way. And yes, she also goes into detail about "short braising". Braised vegetables are done by Thomas Kellar and also the NY Times has recipes for braised veggies. I don't think it is anything new. Anyway, it is all good eating!

Echoing what Robin said, I invite you to explore Indian vegetarian cuisine. There is as wide a range of braised vegetable options as you could hope to wish there.

-Paul W.

Right now I am making Turkish string beans. No hot or funky spices, just tomatoes, onions, garlic, haricots, sugar, salt, pepper. And after frying up the onions, tomatoes, and garlic you add the other ingredients and simmer for an hour. I think this is a classic braise. Of course the name in Turkish is "beans cooked in oil" -- there is also a lot of olive oil. At the end you squeeze a lemon over it and serve with thick yogurt. Hot or cold.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/ ... ans-237218

[Jenise]

http://deltakitchen.blogspot.com/2010/01/cauliflower-potatoes-peas-indian-style.html

Okay, this one - "Cauliflower, Potatoes & Peas Indian-Style" - appears to be very much like the procedure that I recently got in trouble for defining as "a short braise for veggies." This person seems to agree. And not, it is not a glaze.

Per the Culinary Institute of America: "To cook a food, usually meat, by searing in fat, then simmering slowly at a low temperature in a small amount of stock or another liquid (usually halfway up the meat item) in a covered vessel. The cooking liquid is then reduced and used as the base of a sauce."

The cauliflower-potato recipe does exactly that. Your description of your method did not mention any liquid but seemed to rely on the accumulated moisture of your aromatics. As for "in trouble"--your post seemed unsure of what to call the method. Two of us thought another culinary term suited your method better and said so, for which we apparently shall never be forgiven. Jeesh.

[Robin Garr]

Jeesh.

Aw, Jenise, I'm just having fun. Yes, there is a little liquid, just not very much. The difference I was after was simply a matter of cooking veggies in a little flavorful liquid full of aromatics, which the veggies absorb while retaining most of their natural good stuff, as opposed to the method of cooking them in a ton of water which gets poured off, all colorful with the goodies that are going down the drain.