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To
braise
(originally
braiser
in French) means
to cook in a tightly covered container with just enough liquid
to barely cover the meat (if a stew), or halfway up the piece
of meat if preparing red meat, poultry, or fish. The word
braiser
originated from the fact that, when one cooked
on the hearth, the pot was buried in hot embers (
braise
in French means "smoldering coals"). This salmon recipe uses
your stovetop, some white wine, and a tight-fitting pan to
do the job.
Woodcut of a traditional French
braiser
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Recipe
Conversions
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CAUTION
When handling raw meat, make sure you wash your hands,
and any surfaces and utensils the meat has touched, thoroughly!
Raw meat contains lots of infectious bacteria that can
make you very ill!
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What
Do I Need?
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1 fillet of salmon, 3/4 pound to 1 pound
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Tip
Braising, a moist-heat method, is a good way to cook fish.
Since fish's muscle structure is less dense than that of other
animals, it can dry out more easily.
Tip
The citric acid in lemon juice combines with the flavor
compounds, or amines, in fish to help diminish the fishy odor.
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a pinch of cracked black pepper
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a pinch of coarse sea salt
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2 tablespoons wasabi, either wet or dry
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• 1
tablespoon sesame oil
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1 cup dry white wine
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1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
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3 tablespoons diced scallions (for garnish)
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yellow and black sesame seeds (for garnish)
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• lemon
wedges (for garnish)
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paper towels
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large plate
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skillet with secure-fitting top
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whisk
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spatula
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serving plate
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What
Do I Do
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1.
Gently
wash the salmon, and pat it dry with a paper towel. Rub with
sea salt, cracked pepper, and wasabi. Set aside on a plate.
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2.
Heat
sesame oil in the skillet, careful not to let it burn. When
a single sesame seed dropped in the oil pops, place the fish
in skin side down. Move pan quickly back and forth a few times
to keep the fish from sticking to the pan.
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3.
Whisk
together white wine and vinegar in a small bowl. Set aside.
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4.
When
both sides of the fish flesh become slightly opaque (approximately
5 minutes) pour the wine/vinegar mixture into the pan. Immediately
cover the pan with the lid, and create a tight seal. You want
to create a little sauna for your fish in the pan.
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5.
Lower
heat and cook for 15 to 20 more minutes, or until the center
of the thickest part of the fish is still very pink, and has
a custardlike consistency. Remove from heat and let sit in the
pan while you dice the scallions.
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Explore
Try grilling some virtual catfish in our
on-line
laboratory.
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6.
Remove
the fish from the pan with the spatula, place on a serving plate,
and sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallions. Serve with lemon
wedges.
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Share
& Discuss
What
happened when you tried this recipe?
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