Best Braised And Gratin Recipes

RED WINE BRAISED BEEF AND PASTA GRATIN

Steps:

• For the Beef: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Heat oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Season the ribs with salt and pepper and cook on both sides for 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Add all of the wine to the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom, add all of the remaining ingredients, except the mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Cover with the lid, braise on the stove top or place in the oven and let braise for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until very tender. Remove the meat to a plate and strain the cooking liquids into a bowl. Clean out the pan and add the strained liquid into the pan. Add the mushrooms and cook over high heat until reduced by 1/3. Return the meat to the pan and cook for 5 minutes to heat through.
• For the Pasta Gratin: Place milk and garlic in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes, then remove the garlic. Melt butter in a small saucepan, whisk in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes over low heat. Gradually whisk in the milk and cream and cook over medium-high heat until thickened, season with salt and pepper and nutmeg, remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place cooked pasta in a buttered medium flameproof baking dish, add the sauce and stir to combine. Sprinkle the Gruyere over the top of the pasta then sprinkle the Parmesan over the Gruyere. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil, rotating the dish, until the cheese is golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. Garnish with chives.

BRAISED LAMB CHOPS EN CAZUELA WITH POTATO-ARTICHOKE GRATIN AND RED WINE REDUCTION

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven and sear lamb chops until golden brown on both sides. Remove to a plate. Add onions, carrots, and celery to the pan and cook until the vegetables are golden brown. Add red wine and port and cook until almost reduced.
• Add the chops back to the pot, add the stock, bay leaf, thyme, and bring the stock to a boil. Cover the pot, place the pot in the oven, and cook for about 2 hours or until fork tender.
• Remove the lamb to a plate, strain into a clean small pot, and cook until reduced to a sauce consistency. Swirl in butter and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Place a square of Potato-Artichoke Gratin on a large plate, top with a lamb chop and ladle some of the sauce over and around. Garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme and chopped parsley.
• Place the artichokes, onion, lemon, wine and water to cover in a medium saucepan, cover with a clean dish cloth and simmer over medium-high heat until the artichokes are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.
• Drain the artichokes and when cool enough to handle, cut off the top half, trim leaves, remove choke, and remove heart. Slice heart into thin slices.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Butter a 8 x 8-inch baking dish and place a layer of potatoes on the bottom, place 1/4 of the artichoke hearts over the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, drizzle with 1/4 cup of the cream and some of the thyme. Repeat to make 5 layers ending with a layer of potatoes. Combine the cheese and bread crumbs and sprinkle over the top.
• Place on a baking sheet and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through and the top is golden brown and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before cutting.

DUCK BRAISED IN BANYULS AND TURNIP-PARSNIP GRATIN WITH PRUNES

Steps:

• Trim the excess fat from the duck legs. Season them with the thyme leaves, orange zest, and cracked black pepper. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Take the duck out of the refrigerator 45 minutes before cooking. After 15 minutes, season the legs on all sides with 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt.
• Heat a large sauté pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Swirl in the olive oil and wait 1 minute. Place the duck legs in the pan, skin side down, and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until the skin is deep golden brown and crispy. (If your pan is too small to fit all of the legs, brown them in batches or in two pans, so you don't crowd them.) Turn the duck legs over, reduce the heat to medium, and cook 2 minutes on the other side. Move the duck, skin side up, to a braising pan. (The duck legs should just fit in the pan.)
• Discard half the fat, and return the pan to the stove over medium heat. Add the onion, fennel, carrot, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and a pinch of pepper. Cook about 10 minutes, stirring often with a wooden spoon to scrape up all the crusty bits.
• When the vegetables are nicely browned and caramelized, add the balsamic vinegar and Banyuls. Turn the heat up to high, bring the liquid to a boil, and cook 6 to 8 minutes, until it has reduced by half. Add 3 cups stock and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and simmer 5 minutes.
• Pour the broth and vegetables over the duck, then scrape the vegetables that have fallen on top of the duck back into the broth. The liquid should not quite cover the duck (add more stock if necessary). Cover the pan very tightly with aluminum foil and a tight-fitting lid if you have one. Braise in the oven about 2 1/2 hours, until the duck is very tender.
• To check the duck for doneness, carefully remove the lid and foil, and pierce a piece of the duck with a paring knife. If the meat is done, it will yield easily and be tender but not quite falling off the bone.
• Turn the oven up to 400°F.
• Carefully transfer the duck to a baking sheet and return it to the oven to brown for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Strain the broth into a saucepan, pressing down on the vegetables with a ladle to extract all the juices. Skim the top layer of fat from the sauce. If necessary, reduce the broth over medium-high heat about 5 minutes, to thicken it slightly. Taste the juices for seasoning.
• Transfer the duck legs to a serving platter. Spoon the juices over the duck, and scatter the parsley leaves over the top. Serve with the turnip-parsnip gratin with prunes.
• Turnip-Parsnip Gratin with Prunes
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Use a mandoline to slice the turnips and parsnips into 1/16-inch-thick rounds, and put them into two separate bowls.
• Pour 1/2 cup cream onto the bottom of a 9-by-9-inch (or equivalent) gratin dish. Place one layer of turnips on the bottom of the dish. (The turnips should overlap by about half.) Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Scatter a third of the prunes on top. Arrange a layer of parsnips over the turnips and prunes. Press the parsnips down with your fingers, letting the cream soak up through the layers. This will ensure that the cream is evenly distributed and coats the vegetables well. Drizzle with 1/2 cup cream and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, a healthy pinch of pepper, and 1 teaspoon thyme.
• Arrange another layer of turnips and drizzle another 1/4 cup cream over them. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, a pinch of pepper, and 1 teaspoon thyme. Scatter a third of the prunes on top and continue with another layer of parsnips. Drizzle on 1/2 cup cream and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Press the vegetables down with your fingers, allowing the cream to come up through the layers and coat the vegetables evenly.
• Finish the gratin with one more layer, this time of both parsnip and turnip slices, arranging this layer nicely, since it will be the top of your gratin. Scatter the remaining prunes over the top. Drizzle with 1/4 to 1/2 cup cream and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, freshly ground black pepper, and the remaining teaspoon thyme. Press the gratin down with your fingers again. The cream should cover the potatoes but not be too soupy. Add more cream if the gratin seems dry.
• Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake about 1 1/2 hours, until the vegetables are tender when pierced. Remove from the oven and carefully uncover. Turn the oven to 425°F and return the gratin to the oven. Cook another 15 to 20 minutes, until the top is nice and golden brown (as in "gratinéed").
• Note
• You can braise the duck a day ahead, just remember it has to marinate at least 4 hours first. Make the gratin in the morning, then reheat and gratinée just before serving.