How to Revive Sad Vegetables Through Braising
Braising vegetables past their prime prevents not only vegetables from going to waste but also cooking liquids and whatever fat you have. The post How to Revive Sad Vegetables Through Braising appeared first on Zero-Waste Chef.
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Braising vegetables past their prime prevents not only the vegetables themselves from going to waste but also liquids you have on hand in need of a purpose and whatever fat you find in the cupboards.
To braise vegetables, brown slices or halves in fat in a single layer in a large pan (or not…you can skip this step if you prefer). Next, add a small amount of liquid and finally, cook covered at a very low temperature for between 20 minutes to over an hour, depending on the vegetable variety and the size of the pieces.
This classic technique renders fork-tender, glazed vegetables with a concentrated flavor that melds with your braising liquid of choice. In other words, braising transforms past-their-prime vegetables into decadent morsels. If you follow this easy method, you’ll actually look forward to finding mature vegetables rolling around in the crisper.
Enjoy your braised vegetables as a side dish or in a grain bowl or as a pasta topping. Add a layer of them to a shepherd’s pie or put them in a quiche. Braised onions impart rich flavor to a stew or the top of a pizza—if you can resist eating them straight of the pan.
The braising vegetables
Choose sturdy vegetables, such as onions or shallots, cabbage, brussels sprouts, carrots, potatoes, eggplant, cauliflower, fennel, celery and so on. Avoid juicy vegetables—cucumbers, summer squash and tomatoes. They’ll taste delicious but you’ll essentially make a sauce, not a side dish. If you do braise vegetables with a higher water content, add a less liquid.
Cut the vegetables into slices or halves or, to speed up cooking time, smaller pieces. However you slice them, keep in mind that you’ll cook them in a single layer in the pan. You can fit only so many.
The braising fat
Don’t be shy about how much you use. Olive oil mixed with butter tastes delicious. Ghee is great. Use a neutral oil if you prefer to keep the flavor lighter. But mostly, use whatever fat you have.
The braising liquid
Braise with one of the following or with a combination:
- Water works well for a clean flavor.
- Tomato paste thinned out with water or tomato purée tastes delicious. Or just include a splash of either one.
- Broths create a richer flavor.
- Coconut milk imparts a nutty flavor.
- Acid brightens savory dishes. You don’t need much, just a tablespoon or two of lemon juice or wine vinegar in the mix.
- If you have a bit of leftover wine—it does happen!—add some. The longer the vegetables braise, the more alcohol will burn off.
Optional ingredients
After browning the vegetables (if you choose to brown them), remove them from the pan and sauté onions or garlic if desired. Add the braising vegetables to the pan and proceed. Have some fresh herbs on hand? Toss those in as well.
Braised cabbage
Pictured below are ½-inch slices of cabbage cut from a small, sad cabbage. For my braising liquid, I added a few tablespoons of leftover tomato purée, a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice and a glug of water. You eyeball the amounts, hence these rough measurements.
After browning, these slices braised for over an hour (cabbage is quite tough and so softens slowly). Shallots braise faster, at around 45 minutes. Potatoes will be ready to inhale in about 20 minutes. The cooking time also depends on how thinly—or thickly—you slice the vegetables. If you like your vegetables to retain more of a firm bite, end the braising sooner.
Braised alliums
The shallots and onions below went into two different pots of Bean Bourguignon, a meatless adaptation of Julia Child’s classic Boeuf Bourguignon. (Basically, follow Julia’s recipe but cook dried black beans, not beef, in red wine and omit the bacon. Also, Julia’s recipe calls for pearl onions but they can be hard to find so I use shallots or onions.)
Braised celery
Yes, even sad, limp, yet somehow still tough celery tastes amazing after braising.
Braised potatoes
Braising renders crispy-on-the-outside, creamy-on-the-inside potatoes. Of course, you can use very fresh potatoes for braising but if you have older potatoes, braising will transform them.
Slice the potatoes quite thickly, between ¼” and ⅜” thick. Don’t add as much water as you would for cabbage or onions. These cook faster—in about 20 minutes—and so absorb less liquid. If you add too much liquid, simply remove the lid and cook it off.
The finished potatoes never survive long enough for me to snap a picture.
Braised Random Vegetables
Equipment
- 12-inch sauté pan and lid
Ingredients
- sliced or halved vegetables such as onions, shallots, cabbage, brussels sprouts, carrots, potatoes, eggplant, cauliflower, fennel or celery
- salt to taste
- fat of choice such as olive oil, butter, ghee, coconut oil or avocado oil about 3 tablespoons for a 12-inch, large sauté pan
- braising liquid: water, broth, wine, beer, cider, milk or a combination of liquids
- lemon juice, vinegar or another acid to taste
- fresh herbs (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the fat over moderate heat in a large, deep sauté pan. Place the vegetable slices or halves in the pan in a single layer and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Brown between 5 and 10 minutes (the time depends on the type of vegetable and size). Flip, salt and brown for up to 5 minutes on the other side. OPTIONAL: Remove the browned vegetables from the pan and add onions and or garlic. Sauté until softened. Return the browned vegetables to the pan.
- Pour in enough liquid to create a shallow pool in the pan. Do not submerge the vegetables. The liquid should reach (at most) a third of the way up the side of the vegetables. Add a sprig or two of fresh herbs, if using. Cover. Turn the heat down to a low simmer.
- Check the vegetables after about 20 minutes. They are ready when fork tender and most of the liquid has cooked off. Cabbage slices and celery need over an hour, onions cook in about 50 minutes and potatoes should be done in around 20 minutes, for example. (However, the smaller the pieces, the faster they cook.)
- If the vegetables begin to dry out partway through cooking, add a splash of liquid. Remove the lid from the pan and cook off any excess liquid if necessary.
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The post How to Revive Sad Vegetables Through Braising appeared first on Zero-Waste Chef.
