Braising the Perfect Risotto

There seemed to be an odd energy in the kitchen tonight, until we got into our own groove of cooking. Or maybe it was just me, because I felt a little lost in some of the aspects of our dishes, even though Chef Dan gave us a perfectly understandable demonstration. Maybe it was all the braising. 


Tonight was all about braising.  Or "braiser" in French. It is one of the 7 primary les cuissons, or cooking techniques, used in French cooking. Essentially it is to cook in a small amount of liquid, but you typically want to add some color by searing it first. And we had all kinds of things to braise. Veal, Lamb, Veggies, Risotto. Ah, yes, the Risotto! If there is one thing I should be ecstatic about, it's that chef said that MY risotto was, well, perfectly cooked. But the joy was overshadowed by my overly oily Lamb Provencal Sauce. I would have had two perfect dishes if it weren't for all that fat in the sauce. Stupid fat. Think, perfect risotto, perfect risotto!!! Ok, that's better.


As we were cooking our risotto's, I hear chef walking around saying, "It's not fried rice. If you hear it frying, it's fried rice!"


And tomorrow is our mid term test. It will be 50 questions on all of the powerpoint slides we have been reviewing on lecture days. Cuts of beef, classifications of chicken, turkey, fish, types of fat, muscle, etc. So that being said, I need to study. Au revoir!

Plate 1 - Lamb Shank Provencal and Sauce, Risotto Milanese, Braised Seasonal Veggies. Plate 2 - Blanquette De Veau (White Veal Stew). Enjoy!