Roasting & Braising Tips by Daniel Wilson
As the winter months draw closer it’s time start thinking about cooking delicious, hearty roasts and braises.
Cooking with beef and lamb
With so many delicious, tender, braising cuts available from the Market such as beef short ribs and lamb shanks, who can resist a hearty roast in the winter time? An easy and time efficient way to cook these cuts is to seal them in a pan, and then place them into a heavy casserole dish with your favourite vegetables, herbs and stock, before covering the dish with a lid and placing it in the oven at 110°C for about 8-10 hours before you go to work. This slow, gentle way of cooking will produce tender, succulent meat – and the best part – you’ll have a warm meal ready to go when you get home and the house will smell amazing too!
Cooking with fish
An option for fish lovers is to stuff the cavity of a whole fish – such as a snapper – with sliced lemongrass, chili, lemon and Asian herbs, before wrapping it up in foil and baking it until it’s just cooked. The fish will finish cooking while resting on the bench. It’s important to do this for at least 10 minutes to allow the juices to settle before unwrapping.
Cooking with veggies
Winter is the perfect time of year for vegetable puree. Try cooking chopped cauliflower, celeriac or parsnip gently in milk until soft then pureeing with a little cream, butter and ground white pepper. For a vegan version you can simmer your veggies in water and add some olive oil when pureeing to thicken. Brussels sprouts really come into their own at this time of year too. Try cutting them in half and cooking them in a pan over a medium heat, cut side down until golden. Then turn them over and add some quartered mushrooms and thyme, a couple of knobs of butter and transfer to a roasting dish. Roast in a 175°C oven for approximately 15 minutes or until soft and caramelised. For a lighter option try shaving Brussels sprouts thinly with a knife or on a mandolin and dress, uncooked, with mandarin juice and olive oil then add grated apple and sliced mint. The perfect roast pork accompaniment.
