To braise vegetables, gather root vegetables, aromatics, fat, and liquid. Sear, add aromatics, deglaze, and simmer until tender. Season and serve with olive oil or herbs for flavor.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Vegetables: Choose your heroes! Root vegetables like carrots, parsnips, potatoes, and sweet potatoes are excellent choices. Hearty greens like kale, collard greens, and cabbage also braise beautifully. Onions, garlic, and celery form a flavorful base for the braising liquid.
- Fat: Olive oil, butter, or other cooking oil for searing.
- Aromatics: Onions, garlic, shallots, herbs (fresh or dried), spices. These add depth and complexity to the braising liquid.
- Liquid: Broth (vegetable, chicken, or beef), wine (red or white), water, or even tomato juice. The liquid provides moisture and flavor.
- Dutch Oven or Heavy-Bottomed Pot: A Dutch oven is ideal because it distributes heat evenly and has a tight-fitting lid. However, any heavy-bottomed pot with a lid will work just fine.
- Cutting Board & Knife: For prepping your vegetables.
- Tongs or Spatula: For searing and turning the vegetables.
Step-by-Step Guide
Here’s a simple guide to braising vegetables:
- Prep the Vegetables: Wash and chop your vegetables into uniform sizes. This will ensure they cook evenly. Smaller pieces will cook faster, so keep that in mind when deciding on the size.
- Sear the Vegetables: Heat the fat in your Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add the harder vegetables like carrots, potatoes, and onions first. Sear them until they are lightly browned on all sides. This step is crucial for developing flavor. Don’t overcrowd the pan; sear in batches if necessary.
- Add Aromatics: Add your aromatics (garlic, shallots, herbs, spices) to the pot and cook for a minute or two until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
- Deglaze (Optional): If there are any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot (fond), deglaze by pouring in a splash of wine or broth and scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. This will loosen the flavorful bits and add them to the braising liquid.
- Add Liquid: Pour in enough liquid to come about halfway up the sides of the vegetables. You don’t want to completely submerge them.
- Bring to a Simmer: Bring the liquid to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot tightly, and let it simmer gently.
- Braise: Braise the vegetables for 30 minutes to an hour, or until they are tender when pierced with a fork. The exact cooking time will depend on the type and size of the vegetables. Add any delicate vegetables, like leafy greens, during the last 15-20 minutes of cooking.
- Season to Taste: Once the vegetables are tender, season with salt and pepper to taste. You can also add a splash of vinegar or lemon juice for brightness.
- Serve: Serve the braised vegetables hot, with a drizzle of olive oil or a sprinkle of fresh herbs. They’re delicious on their own or as a side dish.
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