The very sight of an earthenware casserole reminds me of mon pays, of Maman's kitchen, and of the wooden kitchen dresser where our casseroles used to sunt!, mellowed and stained with their years of faithful service. There was always a casserole simmering on our big black stove and when the family gathered around the red and white cloth of the kitchen table, Maman would serve the savory concoction from the same casserole. The casserole and the copper saucepan are part of every French home, and no one who has ever eaten a single meal with a French family can ever forget them. To me, and to most Americans, the clay casserole is more French than the Eiffel Tower, Christian Dior and Louis XIV furniture, all of which are somehow more Parisian than French.
That the casserole is the mast popular of French cooking utensils is inevitable. The average French family must make do with the foods which are plentiful and inexpensive in season, or which can be preserved for oil-season use. There is never enough fuel, never enough money. But the French posses such an over-whelming love of good food that they are willing to go to any trouble to achieve mouth-watering dishes despite severe handicaps. The casserole is a good friend, for with long, slow cooking, with patient, gradual blending and enhancement of flavors, French cooks, peasants and Parisian chefs alike, can work miracles. And of all the sorts of cooking done in the casserole, braising is first.
Now, braising is the best way to make less expensive cuts of meat tender and flavorful, and braised meats, because of this association with economy, do not carry the aura of sophistication which surrounds truffled delicacies and aspics, but that is not to say that braised meats are scorned by the haul monde. Quite the contrary is true.
At the Bristol in Paris, where I first worked as a young chef, King Carlos of Portugal was a regular guest, and his favorite dish was leg of lamb braised à la cuillère, an unusually long and slow cooking process that resulted in meat so tender it could be served with a spoon, that is to say, à la cuillère. The first time I cooked this dish it was for this royal personage. 1 had just begun my career in Paris, and was more than a little nervous when Monsieur Tiesier, the bead chef, ordered me to cook the gigot d'agneau for the King. I was in terror lest 1 overcook it. “Don't worry, ” Monsieur Tiesier said. “Just keep basting it all the time and add more stock as the liquid cooks away, so there will be plenty of moisture in the casserole.” The kitchen gods were with me, because I cooked that leg of lamb à point. It was so tender that the bone slipped out, away from the meat, and the surface was beautifully glazed by the richness of the stock. That was my first leg of lamb braisée, but not my last, mais non! I suppose that during my years in Paris, London, and New York 1 must have prepared thousands of legs of lamb just that way and have taught at least hundreds of young chefs working under me how to do it.
At the turn of the century, when connoisseurs from all Europe gathered in Paris for the social season, it was their habit to stop at small but exclusive hotels whose proprietors knew, and were ready to indulge, their every gastronomical whim. In fact, it was the usual thing for the hotels to anticipate their desires by having the kitchens primed to prepare a guest's special favorite before his luggage was carried to his room from the lobby! These special dishes, however, were not necessarily elaborate or exotic. Most of them were simple dishes whose success depended upon meticulous attention to the details of fine cooking, regular basting, careful skimming of sauces, and subtle seasoning.
I recall, for example, that wealthy German family, the Krupps, whose name in recent years has fallen into disrepute because of the family's influence on German militarism. In those days, the Krupps were one of the most important and respected families in Europe. Herr Krupp, who always stopped at the Bristol, could certainly have had anything he wanted at his table. And what did he want, this millionaire? Eh bien! One of his favorites was boeuf braise à l'empire. This was a nicely larded piece of rump of beef marinated for 24 hours in a spiced mixture of red or white wine, a little cognac, and a dash of Madeira or sherry and braised slowly until it was tender. It was served garnished with braised hearts of celery and potatoes fondantes. All in all, it was not much different from boeuf à la mode. So whenever there was a rumor that this famous munitions manufacturer might come to Paris, the chef at the Bristol was alerted, and every day a piece of beef was put in the marinade, ready to be cooked at a moment's notice. We knew that if Herr Krupp came, he would invariably ask for it, and the Bristol had to be ready for him.
Such dishes were a regular part of our menu at the old Ritz in New York, one of the last restaurants willing to devote the time and attention necessary to achieve them.
In French homes, however, braising is one of the first tilings a young daughter learns to do as she helps her mother in the kitchen, something all French girls do as a matter of course. Braising is a typically French sort of cooking, embracing as it does line flavor, practicality, and thrift, all of them typically French characteristics.
For the most part, meat to be braised is in one piece, although there are a few dishes that call for meat cut into small portions. Braising is the method most frequently used when meat requires thorough cooking and is a most suitable way to cook veal and pork as well as many cuts of beef, lamb, and mutton. As a matter of fact, a well done leg of lamb is better braised than roasted. There is so little fat on a leg of lamb that long roasting is very apt to dry it badly.
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.
Pièce de Boeuf Braisée en Gelée (Jellied Braised Beef)
Prepare braised beef and let it cool. Sauté ½ cup diced salt pork in a little butter until golden brown, or saute ¼ cup diced bacon and cool. For each person to be served cook 4 or 5 small while onions and 4 or 5 tiny carrots in a little water until Mil-Add a little butter to the pan and sprinkle a little sugar over the vegetables and cook, shaking the pan, until the vegetables are glazed and brown. Heat 3 cups of the sauce from the braised meat with ½ cup aspic (see June. 1951) and 2 or 3 ounces of Madeira or sherry. Cut the meat in slices and overlap them on the serving cish. Garnish the dish with the salt pork dice or bacon, the onions, and the carrots and pour the sauce over all. Chill until the sauce is set. If desired, a thin coating of clear aspic may be spread over the cop and chilled.
Boeuf Braisé Minion (Braised Beef Miroton)
In a saucepan stew 1 cup thinly sliced onions in 2 tablespoons butter until they are soft and start to turn golden. Stir in 1 tablespoon flour and cook for a few minutes longer. Add 1 cup stock, ½ cup canned tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, until the mixture comes to a boil and continue to cook very slowly for 20 to 25 minutes. For a sharp-flavored sauce stir in ½ teaspoon dry mustard mixed with I tablespoon vinegar and 1 teaspoon grated horseradish. Add 3 or 4 small sour pickles, sliced, but do not boil the sauce after adding them.
Cut about 1 pound of leftover braised beef into thin slices and overlap them in a shallow heatproof serving dish. Pour the sauce over the meat and keep hot in a warm oven where the sauce will not boil until ready to serve. Sprinkle with finely chopped parsley. The dish may be garnished with slices of fried eggplant or sliced boiled potatoes, then sprinkled with bread crumbs, and browned under a hot broiler.
Paupiettes de Boeuf Braisées
Bourbounaise (Beef Rolls Botirbomiaise)
Slice a 2- to 2 ½-pound piece of lean rump of beef into 12 or 15 pieces and flatten each slice with a wooden mallet. Season the slices with a little salt and pepper and spread the center of each with the following stuffing: Season 1 pound each of ground lean pork and ground far pork with ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning mixed with a little salt. Add 3 ounces of Madeira or sherry and mix thoroughly. Roll up each slice, wrap it with a thin slice of larding pork, and tic with a string.
In a shallow casserole melt 1 tablespoon butter. Spread over the butter 1 onion and 1 carrot, both sliced, and place the rolls of beef side by side on top of the vegetables. Add 1 clove of garlic and a faggot made of I stalk of celery, 4 sprigs of parsley, 1 bay leaf, and a pinch of thyme. Spread a little melted butter over the beef rolls, put the casserole in a moderate oven (375° Ft, and cook until the rolls have taken on a little color. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour over the vegetables around the meat and add 2 cups red or white wine. If the liquid does not come to the top of the meat, add stock or water. Bring the liquid to a boil, cover the casserole, and braise for 1 ½ to 2 hours, basting from time to time. If the liquid is reduced too much, add a little stock or water. One half hour before serving, add 1 pound of mushrooms sautéed in butler and 18 Small white onions glazed and browned in a pan with a little water, 1 tablespoon butter, and a sprinkling of sugar. If the larding pork on top of the beef is not brown, uncover the pan, untie the rolls, and cook a few minutes longer. Remove the rolls to a warm serving dish with the piece of larding pork on each. Discard the faggot from the pan, correct the seasoning of the sauce, and pour sauce and vegetables around the meat rolls. Serve with small cooked carrots, buttered and sprinkled with parsley, or with other desired vegetables.
Poitrine de Vean Farcie Dominicaine(Stuffed Breast of Veal Dominicaine)
Cut a pocket in a whole breast of veal. Toss lightly with a fork 3 cups cooked rice, ½ cup pâté de foie gras, cut in small dice, 2 tablespoons chopped truffle or ½ cup sliced sautéed mushrooms, 1 tablespoon beef extract, and ½ cup thick velouté or bechamel sauce. Fill the pocket of the veal with this stuffing and sew the edges of the pocket together.
Spread 2 tablespoons butter in the bottom of a long, oval-shaped casserole with a close-fitting cover and add I or 2 carrots and 1 or 2 onions, both sliced. Put the veal on the vegetables, spread it with 2 tablespoons butter, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Cook in a hot oven (400° F.) for 30 to 35 minutes until the carrots and onions turn golden and the meat begins to brown. Add 1 cup boiling stock or water and cover the meat with a piece of buttered or wax paper, cut to fit the casserole, with a small hole in the center for the steam to escape. Cover the casserole, reduce the oven temperature to moderate (350° F.), and braise for about 2 hours, or until the meat is tender. If the liquid cooks away, add stock or water from time to time and baste the meat frequently.
Remove the veal from the casserole to a serving platter. Add 1 cup sweet cream to the juices and cook until the sauce is reduced to one half its original quantity. Strain the sauce into a saucepan, add 1 cup hot cream sauce, and correct the seasoning. To serve, cut veal and stuffing in slices and coat them with the sauce or serve the sauce separately.
Foie de Veau Braisé Bourbonnaise (Braised Calf's Liver Bourbonnaise)
Lard a whole calf's liver with small strips of larding pork and season it with salt and pepper. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a casserole and spread over the butter I cup sliced onions and ½ cup sliced carrots. Add I clove of garlic and a faggot of 1 stalk of celery, A sprigs of parsley, 1 small bay leaf, and a little thyme. In a skillet brown the liver quickly on all sides in 2 tablespoons fat, transfer it to the casserole, and cook over low heat until the onions and carrots Man to brown. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour over the vegetables and mix all together by shaking the casserole. Add 2 cups red wine and enough water to come to the top of the liver. Cover the casserole and braise in a moderate oven (350° F.) for 2 ½ to 3 hours, turning the liver several times to cook it evenly.
Transfer the liver to a serving dish. The sauce should now be reduced to about one half its original quantity; if necessary, cook it a little longer. Strain the sauce, skim off the fat, and serve with the sliced liver. Serve with potatoes and any desired vegetables. This dish may also be served cold with a salad.
Jarret de Veau au Riz Milanaise (Knuckle of Veal with Rice)
Saw 6 veal knuckles into 1 or 1 ½ inch pieces, season them with salt and pepper, and roll them in flour. In a frying pan saute the pieces of knuckle in 5 tablespoons butter until they are well browned. In a casserole melt 2 tablespoons butter. Spread over the butter 1 large onion and 1 large carrot, both chopped. Add 1 bay leaf and cook until the vegetables start to brown. Add 1 clove of garlic, crushed, and put the pieces of knuckle on top of the vegetables. Add 5 ounces of white wine,1 ½ tups tomato purée, and 1 cup water or stock. Bring the liquid to a boil, cover the casserole, and braise ! slowly for 1 ½ to 2 hours on top of the stove or in a moderate oven (350° F.). Remove the knuckles to a serving dish, strain the sauce over the meat, and sprinkle with chopped parsley mixed with a little grated lemon rind. Serve with rice milanaise.
Riz àla Milanaise (Rice Milanaise)
In a saucepan cook 1 onion, finely chopped, in 2 tablespoons butter until the onion starts to turn golden. Add 2 cups rice and mix well. Add gradually 4 cups boiling chicken stock, stirring constantly. Add ½ teaspoon saffron. cover the pan, and cook the rice over very low heat for about 16 to 18 minutes, or until the stock has been absorbed and the rice is tender. If very soft rice is preferred, use an extra ½ cup stock and cook a few minutes longer. Add I tablespoon butter and 1 or 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan and mix carefully with a fork to prevent crushing dunce grains. The rice should nor be mushy, but the mixture should be creamy. Correct the seasoning and serve immediately.
Longe de Veau à la Vichy (Loin of Veal à la Vichy)
Season a 3- to 4-pound loin of veal, with the kidney, with 1 teaspoon salt and a little pepper and sprinkle it with flour. In an earthenware casserole brown the veal in 3 tablespoons hot butter. Remove the meat to a plate. Add to the casserole 18 to 24 small white onions and 6 to 8 carrots, cut in pieces. Sprinkle the vegetables with 1 tablespoon sugar and cook until they are brown. Add I clove of garlic, crushed.
Return the meat to the casserole and add 4 ounces of white wine, 3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped or 2 tablespoons tomato sauce, ½ cup stock or water, and a faggot made of I stalk of celery, 4 sprigs of parsley, 1 small bayleaf, and a little thyme. Bring to a boil,cover the casserole, and simmer over low heat for 1 ½ hours. Add 2 cups fresh peas and 6 green leaves of lettuce, finely chopped, and braise 45 minutes to I hour longer, adding a little more stock or water if needed. There should be just enough gravy to serve with the meat and vegetables, Remove the meat to a serving dish, discard the faggot, and serve the vegetables and gravy with the meat from the casserole.
Côtes de Veau Braisées àla Chartrer (Braised Veal Chops à la Chartras)
Season 6 inch-thick veal chops with a little salt and white pepper. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a shallow casserole and sprinkle over the butter 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion. Place the chops side by side in the casserole. Mix together 2 cups fresh bread crumbs and 1 cup grated Parmesan. Cover the chops with this mixture, pressing the crumbs and cheese together firmly to make a compact rounded topping, and sprinkle with melted butter. Add 5 ounces of white wine. Cover the casserole and braise in a hot oven (400° F.) for 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until the meat easily separates from the bone. During the cooking add water, a little at a time, as the liquid is reduced and baste the chops to give them a golden brown color. If the topping cracks, press it together firmly but carefully.
Transfer the chops to a serving dish, Pour the gravy from the casserole into a saucepan, bring it to a boil, and thicken with 1 tablespoon arrowroot or cornstarch mixed with a little cold water or stock. Correct the seasoning and strain the sauce through a fine sieve or muslin cloth. Serve with a purée of spinach, a purée of lettuce and chicory, or with peas, carrots, or other vegetables.
Longe de Pore Boulangère (Braised Loin of Pork Boulangère)
Season a 4- to 4 ½-pound loin of pork with 1 teaspoon salt and put it in a deep roasting pan. Roast the meat in a moderate oven (375° F.) for 1 ½ hours, or until brown, turning it several times. Remove the pork from the pan; pour off the fat. Make a pan gravy with stock or water and stir to dissolve all the browned juices in the pan. Thicken with a little beurre manié. Set the gravy aside to be reheated and served with the cooked meat and vegetables.
Mix 8 potatoes, peeled and sliced, with ½ cup chopped onion. 1 tablespoon chopped parsley. 1 teaspoon salt, and a little pepper. Spread the seasoned potatoes in the roasting pan and sprinkle them with 2 tablespoons incited butter. Put the meat on top and spread it with 2 tablespoons of the gravy. Add about 1 cup hot water, or enough to come to the top of the potatoes. Cover the pan, bring the liquid to a boil, and braise in a moderate oven (350° F.) for about 1 ½ hours, or until the bones separate easily from the meat and the potatoes are golden brown. Reheat the gravy and serve with the meat and potatoes. Serves eight to ten.
Gigot d'Agneau Braisé (Braised Leg of Lamb or Young Mutton)
Trim the skin and surplus fat from a 6- to 8-pound leg of lamb and season the meat with salt. In the bottom of a kettle large enough to hold the leg put 2 tablespoons fat and spread over it 3 onions and 3 carrots, both sliced. Add a faggot of 2 stalks of celery, 4 sprigs of parsley, 1 bay leaf, and a little thyme. Sprinkle the vegetables with 1 tablespoon flour, cover them with cracked lamb bones. and put the leg of lamb on top. Cook the meat in a moderate oven ( 375° F.) until it is brown all over, turning it frequently.
Add 1 ½ to 2 cups water or stock and 2 or 3 tomatoes or 1 cup canned tomatoes. Cover the lamb with a piece of buttered or wax paper, cut to fit the pan, with a small hole in the center for the steam to escape. Cover the kettle, reduce the oven temperature to 325° F.and braise for 3 to 3 ½ hours, basting the meat from time to time. During the cooking add more water or stock if needed. Remove the lamb from the kettle. strain the gravy, and skim all the fat from the surface. Correct the seasoning with salt. If the gravy is too thin, cook until it is reduced a little. Serve with potatoes and any desired vegetable.
Gigot d'Agneau Braisé à la Guillère (Braised Leg of Lamb or Young Million à la Guillére)
Follow the recipe for braised lamb, omitting the flour sprinkled over the carrot and onion. Cook the meat 4 to 5 hours, or until it is so tender it can be served with a spoon, It must be basted often to keep it from becoming dry, and stock must be added to the gravy as it is reduced. As the meat cooks and is constantly basted, the rich gravy is absorbed and the meat becomes very succulent. The gravy should be reduced by half. Thicken it by adding 1 tablespoon arrowroot mixed with a little sherry or Madeira, correct the seasoning, and strain it through cheesecloth or a fine sieve. Serve the lamb with potatoes, elbow macaroni, or noodles and braised celery or braised endive, or other desired vegetables.
Gigot d'Agneau Braisé aux Navets (Braised Leg of Lamb with Turnips)
Follow the recipe for braised leg of lamb. Parboil 12 white turnips, cut in quarters, and 18 small white onions for 5 minutes and glaze them in butter until lightly brown. Add the vegetables to the gravy about 15 minutes before the meat is done. Remove the lamb and vegetables from the kettle, thicken the gravy if necessary, and strain. Slice the lamb and serve with the vegetables and gravy.
Epaule d'Agneaa Farcie (Stuffed Shoulder of Lamb)
Have the butcher bone a shoulder of lamb and chop the bones into small pieces. Stew I onion, finely chopped, in 1 tablespoon butter until the onion is soft. Add ½ pound of sausage meat or finely chopped leftover meat. 1 cup fresh bread crumbs, ½ cup chopped cooked spinach, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, 1 egg, ½ teaspoon salt,and a little pepper, mix lightly, and spread this stuffing over the boned lamb shoulder. Roll up the meat, tie it securely with string, and season with salt.
Pur I tablespoon fat in a pan deep enough to hold the rolled meat and spread over the fat 2 large onions and 2 large carrots, both sliced. Add a faggot made of 1 stalk of celery, 4 sprigs of parsley. 1 bay leaf, and a little thyme. Put the cracked bones over the vegetables and lay the rolled lamb on top. Spread 1 tablespoon fat on the meat and cook in a hot oven (400 to 425° F.) for 50 to 40 minutes, or until it is brown all over, turning from time to time.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour over the vegetables and add 1 cup hot water or Stock, ½ cup canned tomatoes, and 3 fresh tomatoes. Cover the lamb with a piece of buttered or wax paper, cut to fit the pan, with a small hole in the center for the steam to escape. Cover the pan. reduce the oven temperature to 350° F., and braise for 2 hours, basting often. If the liquid cooks away, add more water or stock, Transfer the meat, carrots, and onions to a serving dish. Strain the gravy, correct the seasoning. and skim off the fat. To serve, slice through lamb and stuffing and serve with gravy, carrots and onions, potatoes, and any other desired vegetable.
Canard Braisé aux Navels (Duck with Turnips)
Clean and singe a 5- to 6-pound duck, truss the legs and wings close to the body, and season it with 1 teaspoon salt. Cook the duck in a casserole in a hot oven (425° F.) for 25 to 30 minutes, or until it is golden brown. Remove the duck from the casserole and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat. Add 1 tablespoon flour and cook until the flour is golden brown. Stir in 1 cup stock or water and 4 ounces of white wine and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce is smooth and thick. Add a faggot of 1 stalk of celery, 4 sprigs of parsley, ½ bay leaf, and a little rhyme. Return the duck to the casserole, cover tightly, and braise in a moderate oven ( 375° F.) for 25 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile prepare the vegetables as follows: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan. Add 12 small onions, sprinkle [hem with a little sugar, and cook until lightly brown. Remove the onions from the saucepan and set aside. Put 2 to 3 cups white or yellow turnips, cut in pieces, in the butter, sprinkle them with a little sugar, and cook until brown, Put the glazed vegetables in the casserole with the duck and continue to braise for 40 to 45 minutes longer. Remove the duck, carve and arrange it on a serving platter, and surround it with the onions and turnips. Skim the far from the gravy, correct the seasoning. and pour over all.
Saumon Braisé (Braised Salmon)
Clean and scale a baby salmon or a salmon trout weighing 4- to 5-pounds and season it with ½ teaspoon salt. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a casserole large enough to hold the fish, add 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots or onion. some mushroom peelings, 5 ounces of white wine, and 1 cup fish stock or water. Bring the liquid to a boil and cover the fish with a piece of buttered or wax paper, cut to fit the casserole, with a small hole in the center for the steam to escape. Cover the casserole and braise the salmon over a gentle flame for 45 to 50 minutes, basting often. The fish is done when the bones detach easily from the meat. Remove the fish to a serving platter, take off the skin, and garnish the platter with 12 to 15 cooked mushrooms and the same number of cooked shrimp.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan. add 1 teaspoon flour, and cook until the flour begins to turn golden. Stir in the liquid from the casserole in which the fish was braised and conk, stirring, until the sauce is well blended. Stir in 2 egg yolks mixed with ¼ cup cream and bring to the boiling point hut do not boil. Correct the seasoning, add a little freshly ground pepper and a few drops of lemon juice, and strain the sauce through a fine sieve. Pour the sauce over the hot fish and vegetables, garnish with a few slices of truffle, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Slices of French bread fried in butter or puff paste croutons in fancy shapes may be added to the platter. Other large whole fish may be cooked this way and red wine may be substituted for white.
Céleri Braisé (Braised Celery)
Split 6 hearts of celery in half or leave them whole, depending on the size. Parboil them for 5 to 6 minutes, plunge them into cold water to remove any grains of sand, and drain. Place a few slices of onion and carrot in the bottom of a casserole. Lay the celery on top and add just enough stock or water to cover it. Add a small piece of fresh beef suet and season with salt. Bring the liquid to a boil, cover the casserole, and braise the celery in a moderate oven (375° F.) for about 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until it is very tender.
Remove the celery to a serving dish, cover it with chicken or veal gravy, and glaze quickly under the broiler flame. The liquid in which the celery was cooked, reduced to about ½ cup and thickened with manié butter made by creaming together 1 tablespoon butter and I teaspoon Hour, may be used instead of the gravy. Serve braised celery with braised or roast meat.
Endives Braisées àla Flamande (Braised Endire à la Flamande)
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a casserole and arrange 8 to 12 stalks of endive side by side on the butter. Add ½ teaspoon salt. 1 tablespoon sugar, the juice of 1 lemon, and ¼ cup water. Bring the liquid to a boil and cover the endive with a piece of buttered or wax paper, cut to fit the casserole, with a small hole in the center for the steam to escape. braise the endive very slowly on top of the stove or in a moderate oven (350° F.) for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until the moisture is cooked away and the endive has begun to take on a golden color. Remove the endive to a serving dish and pour over it the butter left in the casserole. A little good meat gravy added to the butter will improve the flavor. Serve with braised or roast meal.