Braising and the Virtue of the Process

I love dishes that are succulent, that have a lot of character, complexity, and depth by virtue of a long cooking process, things like the veal breast or the short ribs in the pot-au-feu. The technique is what satisfies. What I love about these braised items is that they’re not just sauté-and-serve. The process behind them requires thought on the part of the cook, and technique, to create something more than what you started with. A filet mignon is a filet mignon—there’s little difference between the raw meat and the cooked meat. But short ribs, veal breast—they become completely different entities after they’re cooked. They transcend themselves, developing a full, complex, satisfying taste and aroma.