Fun Fearless Foodie

There is something magical and evil about Sunday’s. On the one hand, it’s still your day off (for most) and it’s sort of a lazy day where you can sleep in, stay in your PJ’s, take your time and just relax. But on the other hand, you’re reminded that tomorrow your work week starts all over again and you find yourself in this frustrating panic that you need to hurry up and get all those things on your to do list done before it’s too late.

When it comes to cooking, Sunday is my foodie day. I put together my dinner menu for the coming week, I do my grocery shopping, read the latest food magazines and research recipe ideas. At this very moment I have my coffee on one side of the table, 3 cookbooks on the other side, and a slew of magazines interspersed around them. This is where i find inspiration for a Sunday night meal. I have the whole day to prepare it, even if it’s not a complicated dish, and I can play around with flavor and ingredients.

Last Sunday I wanted to experiment with braising. I have braised chicken before, and I thought it came out well, but I wanted to make sure I really knew how to do it. Earlier during that day I had stopped in to Williams & Sonoma to put to use a gift card that I had received from my boyfriends’ family and was incredibly thankful for. I also knew they were hosting a technique class on braising and was anxious to learn more. Unfortunately, this very store held their classes on Saturdays, so I was out of luck. But thankfully one of the sales associates was kind enough to share with me a copy of the 4 page pamphlet they passed out to participants.  (This little pamphlet of information was really helpful, if you are ever in the store I encourage you to ask what they’ve got lying around that you can take home for free.)

After reading through the pamphlet I cracked open my newly purchased Larousse Gastronomique (the ultimate French cookingencyclopedia) and in between brain and bran found even more good tidbits of information about braising.

Click here to purchase Larousse from the Fun Fearless Foodie store.

In summary, here is what you need to know:

What is braising?

Larousse states braising is “a moist cooking method that barely simmers at a low temperature on the top of the stove or in the oven”.  Simply put, cooking meat or vegetables in a little bit of liquid at a low temperature.   Braising is most commonly used to cook semi-tough cuts of meat, poultry, and vegetables.   Braising liquid can be anything from water, broth, wine, or a combination of all three.  The more flavorful the liquid the more flavorful the dish.

What foods braise best?

Poultry is a popular choice, and pieces of chicken on the bone tend to work best.  Boneless cuts can be braised as well, but as with any form of cooking, bone in cuts produce the best results.  Tougher cuts of beef, pork, and lamb are also perfect for braising as the low and slow cooking method helps break down the collagen in the meat and makes it fall off the bone tender.  Fibrous vegetables like carrots, celery, leeks, and cabbage are good choices and can be braised alone or along side meat.

Equipment

Heavy pots such as cast iron casseroles or dutch ovens work best as they distribute the heat evenly and retain it well, but a deep skillet with a lid will also work.

How to braise

Meat should be browned first in fat to give it a nice crust and color.  It is then cooked in a small amount of liquid, just enough to cover it half way, in a tightly closed pot or baking dish on the top of the stove or in the oven. The lid needs to stay on to keep the steam in as it helps in the cooking process.  Aromatics should be added to the braising liquid to impart even more flavor into the dish.  After the meat is cooked through, it is removed and the liquid is reduced to create a sauce.

After summing up my research on braising I knew that I  had a few chicken breasts that needed to be used up and a slew of veggies that were coming close to retirement which would work perfect.  I used boneless skinless chicken breasts because it’s all that I had, but bone in pieces with skin would have been even more fantastic.  I experimented with some of my favorite flavors which included a combination of chicken stock, white wine, and lemon juice to make up the braising liquid.  I also added cherry tomatoes and portobello mushrooms to give the sauce I would later render more flavor.

The final product was an incredibly moist, flavorful one-pot dish that I lovingly called Sunday Braised Chicken.  I served this along side my Coolea and Honey Potato Gratin, but it would also be great with risotto.  If you’ve never braised anything before I encourage you to give it a try and make the most of what’s in your pantry.

Sunday Braised Chicken

Serves 2.  To increase servings, add as much chicken as needed and pour in enough liquid to cover the chicken half way.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup mirepoix (equal parts diced carrots, celery, and onion)
• 2 cloves garlic, diced
• EVOO, about 2 pours around the pot
• 2 chicken breasts, coated in flour and seasoned with salt and pepper
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 tbsp lemon juice, about 1/2 lemon
• 1 cup chopped mushrooms
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1 tsp herbs de provence
• 1/2 tsp fleur de sel, or sea salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp flour

Directions

1. In a heavy pot or deep skillet, heat the EVOO and add in the mirepoix.  Saute until the vegetables begin to soften and take on a golden color, but do not burn.
2. Add in the garlic and cook for an another 30 seconds.
3. Add in the chicken breasts to the pan and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes.
4. Add in the next 8 ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
5. Remove the chicken from the pot and keep warm on a plate.  Stir in the butter and flour to the pot and bring back to a boil.  Continue cooking until the liquid reduces by 1/2.
6. Season to taste and spoon the sauce on top of the chicken. Serve immediately.