Braising is both a wet and dry cooking method. It means to brown food in fat, then cook in a covered dish with a small amount of liquid. It takes up to an hour and a half or more to draw out the flavours. My first attempt at this was not something I could publish. The lettuce was brown, overdone, and very limp. But if done properly, the lettuces cook slowly and take on the flavour of the bacon.
Braising breaks down the cellulose in the vegetable and expands its starches. The fibres soften, giving the vegetable a delicious texture and flavour.
As for the lettuce, the recipe calls for Boston or Bibb lettuce, chicory, or escarole. Any soft-leaved lettuce works. My husband thought I was off my rockers to cook lettuce! It seems ridiculous to cook something that is perfectly good raw. But once I tasted the sauce with the braised lettuce, I convinced him another try would be worthwhile.
Braised lettuce is a delicious garnish for poultry, white meats such as veal or pork, or steamed white fish.
The only bacon rind I could find was a twice-smoked chunk of bacon, so I used the blanching method to remove the smokiness from the bacon.
Many braises taste even better the next day.
Recipe: Laitues braises (Braised lettuce)
2 heads lettuce (Boston or Bibb lettuce, chicory, or escarole), 6-8 inches in diameter
2 thick slices of bacon
1-inch square of bacon rind
⅛ cup onions, diced
⅛ cup carrots, diced
1 tablespoon butter
½ cup beef stock
⅛ cup white wine or dry white vermouth
bouquet garni: 1 parsley sprig, pinch of thyme, ½ bay leaf tied to a cheesecloth
A round of buttered paper
½ tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon parsley
You can find the recipe in Mastering the Art of French Cooking (affiliate link).
For more information about braising, check out this book All About Braising (affiliate link) by Molly Stevens. It won two awards: Winner of 2005 James Beard Foundation Award for Best Single Subject Cookbook and Winner of 2005 International Association of Culinary Professionals Cookbook Award for Best Single Subject Cookbook.
Tasting Notes
The salty, smokiness from the bacon gives the sauce a robust flavour. The tenderness of the lettuce almost melts in your mouth. Although not one of my favourite garnishes, it's tasty.
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Running total: $35.57 + $9.23 = $44.80
Butter used so far: 3½ tablespoons
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