European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 05, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Provence from Page 13 sardines out of a can Bear no resemblance to sardines fresh from the sea Mie cd. Breaded and tried in hot Oil in Marseilles natives believe that bouillabaisse is just another fish Stew if it does t contain Ras Casse. A spiny fish and nothing tastes belter than a Provencal Tomato picked warm and tasting of Sunshine if a dish is described a la Provencal. It usually Means it contains Tomato Olive Oil and garlic the flavors of Provence Are captured in this Lamb Daube. A Stew cooked in French Olive Oil and perfumed with garlic and wine Flavoured with olives thyme oregano. Rosemary and Bay Leaf Lamb Stew with olives 3 pounds stowing Lamb from the neck or shoulder 1 Pound cubed Boneless leg of Lamb 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil preferably French 2 cups of thickly sliced onions 2 carrots peeled sliced i Lnch thick 1 head garlic peeled coarsely chopped 1 bottle red wine preferably Cote do rh6ne 2 to 3 stems fresh thyme 1 Stem fresh Rosemary 2 to 3 stems fresh oregano 1 Bay Leaf 8 ounces olives preferably a combination of pm choline Green olives and Provencal Black olives with herbs see note Salt and Pepper to taste trim All visible fat from Lamb in a Large stove top casserole with a covet heat Olive Oil and Brown Lamb in two or three batches remove Lamb and set aside As it Browns in the same pan add onions carrots and garlic saute until lightly browned add wine and scrape up any browned pieces clinging to Bottom return Lamb to pan tie together the thyme Rosemary oregano and Bay Leaf with string and add to the pan bring to a boil lower heat cover and simmer 1 hour add olives and continue simmering another hour or two. Uncovered or until meat is tender remove from heat Cool cover and refrigerate overnight remove herbs and congealed fat on top discard reheat and taste for seasoning because of the olives Salt May not be needed makes 8 Servings note if olives Are very Salty Blanch first in boiling water for 30 seconds Many specially food stores earn Black and Green French olives if unavailable substitute Black and Green olives from other Mediterranean countries. Flip vegetable and herbs an told at outdoor food Market throughout Provence. By Carleton Jones Baltimore Suna la it takes is a heavy pot with a top and sometimes some waxed paper but it May be the most neglected cooking method in America today that is the braise even the name sounds obscure but this moisture Laden Low temperature wonder once mastered can yield More tender meats and an interchange of vegetable flavors it lacks any Glamour at All socially it has the pot roast stigma you would be much More impressive throwing a flambe. Skewering a shish Kebab or searing a sirloin butt in method is perfect Lor a Range of beef products and Lamb and it can make Many an Ordinary vegetable sing basically what happens when you braise is that convection currents of steam circulate around the food As you simmer cooking it without a boil off of flavor. The properly done braise will never shrink or toughen meat or overcook vegetables the food chemistry wizard. Howard Mcgee puts things this Way the Long slow braise is the Best Way to tenderize meat that is Tough on account of its connective tissue Content " he adds the braise is inappropriate for the finest most tender grades of meats like prime ribs or files but if carefully done can be successful on chops pre browned before oven cooking there Are hidden advantages in the cooking technique one is that Many of the nourishing foods that respond to gentle braising and improve in flavor Are available year round and usually inexpensive such As cabbage celery carrots and onions. The braise played a big role in 1973 s landmark gourmet volume for healthy dining haute cuisine Lor your heart s Delight Clarkson n Potter. Incan which author Carol Cutler defined hundreds of elegant dishes that could be made without Cream whole milk butter or egg Yolks. Braising with Slock wine or Beer and spices can make the difference Between something that tastes like health food and a dish that pleases the fuss Iest gourmet Cutler relates one trick is to add a polyunsaturated Tablespoon or two of Oil to lean ground beef to provide the necessary moisture that such meat lacks. To the French chef Michel Guerard braising is the example Par excellence of cooking by interchange " you can marinate your meat in Advance then lightly Brown it and Cook it with diced vegetables and water gently evenly and for a Long time he says the vegetables reduce into a meat Flavoured sauce which you Strain. Ideal Lor the process he says is a heavy cast Iron pot with a top i have braised celery in a heavy topped aluminium dutch oven accompanied by a shallow amount of beef Stock and the interchange gives you a meaty Hearty celery slice and a celery Flavoured reusable soup Stock i find it helps the Seal Between the pot and the i d to use a double thickness of Wax paper stretched tightly Over the top of the pot this reduces condensation on the inside of the lid and seems to assist in the convection process some chefs identify Rump pot roasts brisket of beef and Chuck pot roasts As among the very Best bets for oven braising others recommend avoiding sirloin cuts and Eye round Steak but a Cutler formula below permits use of the Eye round in a richly Flavoured belgian Carbon Nade braised beef one of the pluses for braising is that it does t seem to matter it it is done on top of the stove or in the oven As Long As the heat is kept moderate and that heavy heat retaining pots Are used with then lids. It is easier to Check on How things Are going on the stove top. But my feeling is that oven simmering gives a slightly More even result the very heavy Fine and often quite expensive enamel coated Iron Ware torn Europe is a or league braising equipment As Long As there is a tight fitting lid that goes with it Betty Rossbottom. The Ohio gourmet chef makes this imaginative fennel Flavoured Carrot and Snow pea ensemble finished in Chicken Stock steam. It does Well served with veal or Chicken entrees. Braised fennel carrots and Snow peas 3 fennel bulbs Tough outer layer discarded trimmed 4 medium carrots about 8 ounces peeled and trimmed Pound Snow peas stringed and halved 4 Tablespoons stick unsalted Butler the neglected Art of braising i to % cup homemade Chicken Stock or Good Quality canned Broth Salt and freshly ground Pepper to taste. Halve the fennel Lengthwise and discard the Tough inner Core. Cut the bulbs crosswise into 14-Inch thick slices. Cut the carrots diagonally into a Inch thick slices Blanch the Snow peas in a Large pot of boiling salted water until just tender about 2 minutes. Drain the Snow peas in a colander and rinse under cold running water. Pal dry prepare vegetables a Day ahead by wrapping in Kitchen towels fennel and carrots together and the Snow peas separately putting in a plastic bag. And refrigerating melt butter in a Large heavy Skillet Over medium High heat add the fennel and carrots and stir until coated with butter add i cup Stock and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to Low. Cover and Cook until vegetables Are tender stirring occasionally. 10 to 12 minutes add an extra a cup Stock if All liquid evaporates before the vegetables Are cooked. Uncover and boil to evaporate the liquid if necessary. Add the Snow peas and stir until they Are heated through about t minute season with Salt and Pepper and serve immediately. Serves six Here Are two simple but classic braised vegetable recipes by Carol Cutler in one. The Carrot is ennobled by a syrupy Glaze in another wine and poppy seeds bring a new dimension to cabbage. Also included is her belgian beef dinner braised in Beer for a full bodied traditionally flemish flavor. Braised carrots 1 i pounds carrots peeled or scraped i cup polyunsaturated Margarine 1 Tablespoon sugar Salt and Pepper /4 to 1 cup water 1 Chicken Bouillon cube. If you Are using tiny Spring carrots leave them whole Cut Large carrots in Hall Lengthwise. Heat the Margarine m a heavy Skillet and add the carrots. Sprinkle on the sugar Salt and Pepper while keeping the heat rather High to caramelize the sugar onto the carrots. Turn often to prevent burning. When the carrots Are All nicely browned pour in enough water to come almost to the top of the carrots crumble the Chicken Bouillon cube Page 14 stars and stripes Friday Janet