Et Voilà! Classic French Cassoulet

Cassoulet is a rustic, slow-cooked, French dish, which you might deduce from its name, is a cousin to a casserole. Though they are similar, the differences between a cassoulet and a casserole are very distinctive; a cassoulet, pronounced (cass-oo-lay) with a haughty French accent, generally refers to a long-simmering stew from southwest France which includes duck, lamb or pork, and white beans.

A casserole, on the other hand, is a slow-cooked, often baked dish that includes a starch, vegetables, some sort of sauce, frequently involves cheese, and sometimes contains a protein. Classic American casseroles include macaroni and cheese, green bean casserole, chicken pot pie, and lasagna. The French sometimes use the term gratin to refer to homey potluck-style baked dishes that we’d call a casserole.

Cassoulet is a favorite cold weather dish in our house; dish that warms body and soul. The addition of beans to the braised beef adds a creamy depth and hearty broth. Served with a crusty baguette, et voilà, you have a classic French meal.


Beef Cassoulet
1 lb. of stew beef trimmed of fat and cut into 1”-2” cubes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ cups chopped onions or leeks
1 cup peeled and sliced carrots
3/4 cup sliced celery
4-6 cloves of garlic, minced or squished
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
½ cup white wine
2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste or ketchup
1/2 lb. dried Great Northern beans, (pre-cooked according to package directions)
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley or chives, chopped for garnish (optional)

Pre-heat your stewing pot. Pat the beef dry with paper towels, season with salt and pepper, and then add it to the hot pan. Allow the beef to form a crust before turning it over to brown the other side. Remove seared beef from pot and set aside. Add the diced vegetables and a drizzle of olive oil and allow them to sauté until soft. Stir in spices and then de-glaze the pan with a good glug of white wine or cooking wine (about half a cup) and stir in the ketchup.

Add the seared beef chunks back to the pot and cover with beef stock. Put on the lid, place in a 200oF oven and cook for 3-4 hours until the meat is meltingly tender. Check periodically to make sure that the sauce is not reducing too fast, if it is add some more stock or water to prevent it from drying out.

About 30 minutes before serving, remove the stew from the oven and add cooked beans to the pot. Stir together gently (so as not to break apart meat or smash the beans) and simmer on your stove over low heat until ready to serve. Ladle cassoulet into serving dishes and garnish with chopped parsley or chives and serve with crunchy bread.

Technique of the Week: Broiling

Broiling is a quick, high-heat cooking method that exposes food directly to very high heat. This cooking method works best with tender cuts of meat and less tender vegetables. Basically an upside-down grill, broilers are generally the same device that heats up your oven, often at the top of the oven, though in same cases the heating element is at the bottom of the oven and broiler can be in a separate drawer below the oven.

The single broiling element provides intense, consistent heat over a large surface area without needing to heat the entire. It only takes a few minutes to pre-heat the broiler. The basic idea is to have the item about 3-5 inches from the surface of the broiling element to cook the item to a crusty, caramelized, slightly charred exterior. Broilers often have no heat setting which means controlling the intensity of the heat by moving the oven rack closer or further away from the element.

Tips and tricks:

• Most broilers have only two settings: on or off. You simply set the oven to broil. If your oven gives you options, you'll have to play with it to see which settings are ideal for which circumstances. 
• Turn on the broiler 5 or so minutes before cooking to give the oven (or broiler compartment) time to heat up - much like starting the grill and then lowering the lid.
• Don’t get distracted! Broiling is a quick cooking method. Most foods will be done in 5-10 minutes, after which it can quickly go from nicely seared to completely burned. Watch the pan carefully.
• You're really only cooking the outer surface of the food, this is why thin cuts of meat and quick-cooking fresh vegetables, are ideal for broiling.
• If your food isn't done cooking, you can always put it in the oven for a few minutes to finish. And vice versa - you can cook food in the oven and then run it under the broiler at the very end to give it a nice crust or sear on the outside.
• It's not strictly necessary to cook foods on a grated broiler pan. This pan allows air to circulate under the food, but you can accomplish the same effect by flipping the food partway through cooking. A pre-heated cast-iron skillet works well.
• Leaving the oven or broiler compartment door partially ajar during cooking can also help. This keeps the cooking environment from getting too hot or steamy. Too steamy and the food won't develop a good caramelized crust. Too hot and the broiler element could automatically shut off. 

Tomato Jam with a Kick

To tell the truth, I don’t go to cooking classes very often. Dom and I have been cooking for over 20 years and like to think we are well skilled in the kitchen. The one area, however, that I lack confidence in is canning. I have a mortal fear of poisoning someone with a tainted batch of preserves. When I had the opportunity as a CulinaryLocal Ambassador to take a lesson from seasoned-canner, Lyn Deardorff of Preserving Now, I couldn't resist the offer.

Lyn, who has over 40 years of canning experience, showed us how to cut fresh tomatoes first coring and then cubing them into 2-inch pieces. I was surprised that we were leaving the skins on, but Lyn explained that since they will cook for up to 2 hours the skins will soften and lend a nice texture to the jam. We put the tomatoes in the pot with the remaining ingredients, brought them to a boil and set the pot on a back burner to simmer as she went on to describe the differences between varying types of preserves from butters and jams to jelly, elaborating on the canning processes as well.

5 pounds of fresh ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
3 ½ cups sugar
½ cup freshly-squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon sea salt
½ tablespoon red pepper flakes

Place jars in a large pot of water. After water reaches boiling point, keep on low heat until needed. Place lids in a small saucepan, cover with water and place on very low heat.

Wash and prepare your tomatoes. Use the ripest tomatoes you can find. It is best to use organic tomatoes when available not only for their healthfulness but also for flavor.

Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive pot. If you do not have access to fresh ginger root, you can use the ginger puree found in tubes in the produce section of your grocery store. Also, the amount of red pepper flakes you should use depends on how fiery you like your food. This recipe will give the jam a nice kick. If you are sensitive to spicy foods start with 1 teaspoon and then taste. You can always add more but it is impossible to take it back out. While Lyn’s recipe doesn't call for black pepper, but I added some to mine. Again, taste as you go and adjust seasonings to your preference.

Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low.  Simmer the jam, stirring regularly, until it reduces to a a consistency similar to jam. If you wish to test it, drop a teaspoonful onto a saucer.  When cooled, the jam should stay in a mound. If it runs down the saucer when titled, it needs more cooking.  This will take between 1 ½ to 2 hours.

When jam has cooked down sufficiently, remove pot from the heat and ladle jam into the prepared jars, leaving ¼- inch headspace.  Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a water bath for 20 minutes. Remove from the water bath to a towel and let the jars cool. Listen for the lids to pop as they cool. This tells you that you have a good seal on the jars. Place any jar that do not “pop” in the refrigerator and be sure to use these within a few weeks.

Personal tip: Before placing the jar in your pantry, write the type of jam and the date on the lid with a Sharpie marker. Giving the jam as a gift? No worries; the marker can be removed with a little rubbing alcohol.

College Cooking Series: Chapter 8 - Essential Ingredient: Rice

Rice is an essential ingredient in college cooking because not only is it very inexpensive, it has many health benefits. Eating rice is extremely beneficial for your health, simply because it does not contain harmful fats, cholesterol or sodium. Rice is a great source of energy and is rich in vitamins. Abundant in carbohydrates, rice acts as fuel for the body and aids in the normal functioning of the brain. It is also an excellent source of vitamins and minerals like niacin, vitamin D, calcium, fiber, iron, thiamine and riboflavin which provide the foundation for body metabolism, immune system health, and general functioning of the organ systems.

1. Rinse the rice: While rinsing isn't strictly necessary, it's a good idea to rinse your rice in a strainer to remove any powdery starch on the surface of the rice along with any leftover chaff or debri. 
2. Use the correct water-to-rice ratio: For most rice, use one cup of rice to two cups of water (1:2 ratio). Plan for a half cup of uncooked rice per person and scale this ratio up or down depending on how much you're making. 
3. Some rice varieties will need a little less or a little more water as it cooks, so remember to always read the package instructions before cooking. [Chart below shows ideal ratios for rice varieties].
   
4. Boil the water: Rice expands as it cooks, so choose a saucepan large enough to accommodate the water and plumped rice. A 2-quart saucepan for one to two cups of uncooked rice is a good size. Bring the water to boil over medium-high heat.
5. Then add the rice: When the water has come to a full boil, stir in the rice along with ½ teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon of butter or olive oil (optional) per cup of uncooked rice.
6. Bring the rice back to a boil: Continue cooking over medium-high heat until the rice comes back to boiling and lower heat to lowest setting.
7. Cover and cook: Cover the pot and simmer gently. Don't take off the lid while the rice is cooking to prevent steam from escaping which can affect cooking time and texture.
8. Rice is done when tender: Start checking the rice around 18 minutes for white rice and 30 minutes for brown rice. When done, the rice will no longer have a crunch. If there is still water left in the pan when the rice is done, you should tilt the pan to drain it off. The rice may be slightly sticky, but it shouldn't be gummy. Remove from heat and let the rice stand a few minutes, covered to steam just a bit more.
9. Fluff the rice: Using a fork or spoon, gently separate cooked grains of rice, and let it sit for a few moments to release excess moisture.
10. Serve the rice: This is the fun part! Rice is extremely versatile and is a good match with most meals. Use your imagination.
11. Keep leftover rice: Leftovers will keep in the fridge for several days, so you can make extra ahead to serve later or to use in other recipes such as fried rice, rice pudding or add to soup.

Homework: Think about the numerous dishes you regularly eat. Would rice be a healthy accompaniment? Let us know in the comments, what meal(s) you plan to serve with rice.