Ssss-team Heat! The beauty of braising
I’m pretty sure I braised something the first week of cooking school. It was probably leeks, and the mere thought of which gets me salivating to this day. Just saying “braised” automatically makes whatever you are talking about sound delicious.
Braising is one of those cooking terms that can seem a bit mysterious, especially since it has a couple of aliases, which are “post roasting” and “poaching,” that can cause some confusion. “Glazing” is similar enough and I will lump it in the general braising category. Our lingering heat here in the desert, yet changing vegetable selection reminded me of this efficient and tasty cooking method. It gives a wonderful depth of flavor without heating up the whole house. jump to recipe
Essentially, you are cooking with a little seasoned liquid, that both infuses your food with flavor and allows for some steaming action in the pan. A clarification is that this is definitely not boiling, and most of your braising liquid gets consumed, so not much is lost. Broth, juice, or wine will all work as a base. Although it’s more commonly associated with hunks of meat, I find it a simple way to gussy up vegetables. The only secret is using a pan with a lid, so that you’ll get the needed steaming… sssteam heat!
This week in my spiralizing class we used orange juice to braise carrots, and added a little cardamom to the OJ. It was a hit. I did the same thing at home with sweet potatoes, and all I can say is, do try this at home! Coriander or cumin would also be tasty with the orange juice. If you are trying to like and eat more veggies, give this a go, because the natural sweetness of the juice along with its acidity render an irresistible result that’s even kid-friendly — go easy on the spices, though.
With my spiralizer already out, I grabbed an aging rutabaga, broccoli stems, and carrots for the same orange juice treatment, and along with the cardamom I added a star anise – ooh la la! This combo may be too interesting for some, but I loved it. I think it would work well with any Asian inspired main course. If you prefer a less “interesting” flavor profile, try ginger, fresh or dried, and finish with scallions.
If you are now thinking, golly gee ned I don’t have a spiralizer! Fear not, you can use your vegetable peeler to make “ribbons” of many veggies, and carrots are the easiest. Truthfully regular ol’ chopped or sliced vegetables would be just as tasty braised, if not quite as magical looking. 
The little bit of purple cabbage I threw in this batch made for edible art, and braised cabbage is actually a classic in many cultures. When braising straight cabbage, I simply quarter the head and brown it with onion and garlic in the pan before adding the broth. A splash of Tamari or soy sauce will give it a whisper of an Asian accent, especially if you finish with sesame oil. Another option is a bay leaf and some smoked paprika for a more European result, then add a little “butter” to the pan to finish, if desired.
While on my braising kick this week, I pulled my cauliflower out of the crisper drawer. I went with traditional Egyptian seasonings of garlic, onion, and coriander, and used a can of my beloved fire roasted tomatoes as the broth, with a little added water. The result was almost a stew, and I could see adding chickpeas and spinach for a one-bowl meal. It was a perfect “wishing it were fall” recipe, that I can imagine enjoying all through the winter, such as it is here. Cauliflower also has more vitamin C than oranges to help see us through cold and flu season!
You may still have plenty of garden tomatoes, and if you do use about 3-4 of them here with a little extra water in place of the canned tomatoes. With my leftovers I added a can of chickpeas and some frozen spinach, and cooked up some rice for an awesome “Meatless Monday” stew that was pretty incredible. For even more flavor, add a little pesto just before serving.
Ingredients
- ½ head cauliflower, cu into florets
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 2 tsp. coriander
- 2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1, 14.5 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes
Instructions
- Heat a skillet (that has a lid) over medium-high heat. Add just enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan and add the onion. Let cook until starting to brown, then add the coriander and garlic, and let cook another 30 seconds.
- Add the florets, tomatoes, and about ½ cup of water, then season with salt. Stir everything together and let cook about 15-20 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
- Remove lid for last few minutes of cooking for a thicker sauce.
