Usually meat for braising is seasoned with salt and rolled in a very little flour. Then it is saucéed in fat and turned on all sides until it is golden brown. The bottom of the braising kettle is spread with butter, sliced onions and carrots, and meat bones are added before the browned meat is put in The bones are very important, because of the flavor they add to the sauce and the thickening quality of the gelatin in them. Liquid is added to come just to the top of the meat. The liquid may be any combination of wine, stock, and water. Sometimes canned tomatoes are used. When the meat is done, the liquid should be reduced by half. The vegetable garnishes that are cooked with the meat are quite simple, as a rule. There are generally carrots and onions glazed in butter, and sometimes peas, beans, and mushrooms, The vegetables are added toward the end and are never over-cooked. The seasoning is a faggot, plus salt and pepper, of course. It is all very simple, yet braising seems to take full advantage of the flavorful sauce which results from the Combination of butter, wine, and the faggot. Frequent basting keeps the top of the meal as well as the bottom always moist during the braising. But I have two warnings. The first is to use only a very little flour for coating the meat;the second is to keep the cooking very slow. Then, each time you baste the meat, you will be able to skim off the fat as it rises gradually to the surface of the sauce, and you will never have the greasy and indigestible gravy that results when too much flour or too rapid cooking holds the fat in the liquid.
Some of the braised meats are just as delicious cold as hot. The gravy is then used to make a jellied coating to cover meat and vegetables, Boeuf à la mode en gelée. for example, was always on the cold buffet for one luncheon and one dinner every week during the summer at the Paris and London Ritz hotels, and I continued this custom when I took over the old New York Ritz.
Of course you can use any utensil for braising, providing that it is heavy enough to prevent scorching during the long cooking and has a tightly fitting cover. Hut for dishes that are to be served right from the cooking utensil the clay casserole is a particularly good choice because it is so attractive on the table. And casseroles do seem to mijoter, or simmer, foods almost perfectly.
For cooking on top of the stove there should be an asbestos mat under the casserole because direct heat will crack or break an earthenware utensil. A rather thin piece of meat, such as veal cutlet, may be cooked in a heavy iron frying pan with a light cover. And if you do much cooking of meats, you should have a special basting spoon with a long handle. It is much more efficient than an ordinary kitchen spoon and saves endless burned fingers.
Boenf Braisé à la Mode (Braised Beef)
Lard a 4- to 5-pound piece of boneless rump of beef, preferably top of rump, with strips of larding pork and season it with 1 tablespoon salt mixed with a little pepper. In a large bowl combine 1 large onion and 1 large carrot, both sliced, 2 cloves of garlic, 4 sprigs of parsley, 2 stalks of celery, 1 small bay leaf, a pinch of thyme, 2 cups red or white wine, and 2 ounces of cognac, if desired. Let the meal Stand in this marinade in the refrigerator for 5 to 6 hours or overnight, turning the meat occasionally so that all sides will be covered and seasoned with the marinade.
In the skillet brown the beef in 2 tablespoons hot fat, transfer it to a large casserole, and add a few beef or veal bones. Discard the fat from the skillet and sprinkle in 2 tablespoons flour. Mix the flour with the meat juices in the pan and stir in gradually the marinade and 1 quart of water or stock. Bring the liquid to a boil, stirring constantly, and pour it over the meat and bones in the casserole. There should be enough liquid to come just about to the top of the meat. Add 1 cup canned tomatoes and 2 or 3 fresh tomatoes, if available. Parboil a split calf's foot for 10 minutes. drain, and add it to the casserole. Bring the liquid to a boil, cover tightly, and braise on top of stove or in a moderate oven (350° F.) for 2 hours.
Meanwhile clean 5 or 6 carrots, cut them into pieces, and parboil for 5 minutes; peel 24 small white onions, sprinkle them with a little sugar, and glaze in a little butter; clean 3 hearts of celery and parboil for 5 minutes.
Remove the meat and calf's foot from the casserole and discard the beef or veal bones. Skim all the fat from the sauce and strain it. Return the meat and calf's foot to the casserole, add the vegetables, and pour the strained sauce over all. Bring the sauce back to a boil, cover the kettle, and simmer for another 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until the meat is tender when tested with a fork. Remove the meat, vegetables, and calf's foot. Cut the meat from the calf's foot into small pieces and mix it with the vegetables. The sauce should be reduced to about half the original quantity, so cook it a little longer if necessary. Skim off any fat and. if desired, stir in 2 ounces of sherry or Madeira. Slice the meat and serve it with the vegetables and the sauce.
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