"We are now living in the Mcdonaldised Society"
My college professor said this, during our final year classes. Actually, we had a subject on "McDonaldisation" in our final year classes, versus "De-McDonaldisation". Actually it was quite opposed to what we were taught than what the concept of McDonaldised society is..a movement started by Carlo Petrini, popularly known as "Slow Food Movement".
It was the concept of how fast food chains are conquering [or ruining] our palates whilst restaurant--fine dining, casual dining, speciality restaurants are losing their charm. Since, F&B was not my interest[though it was a major], little do I remember about what we were taught. Truly, the fast food restaurants have exploited our appetite with some fried patty, some french fries & some condiments in a couple of seconds. Its tasty, it gives satiety to stomach..& for sometime...you are no more hungry.
I remember trying McDonald's in the year 2001, that too in Delhi [Unfortunately, McDonald could not enter Kolkata-The city of Joy before 2007, due to strict Anti-American Communist regime!!!] & I was blown away that I had one more...
Not drifting from our topic of the day, these fast foods have done more damage than it did any good.On the other hand, slow cooking has been forgotten by many patrons who are admirers of fast foods[Burgers, Sandwiches & so on & so forth]. Now you will find many people queueing in any fast food restaurant than any casual dining or speciality restaurant. Of course, who has been praising slow cooked food for long, will remain to be the loyal consumer [and there are exceptions to it].
Mutton is a meat that I learnt to cook with utmost reverence. Reasons, being its tough connective tissues, which makes it difficult to cook. In spite of having pressure cooker at home, I preferred cooking in slow temperature, especially in an oven. The advantage of cooking in the oven is that you can graduate the temperature, which is a little difficult in stovetop. The end result??Of course melt in the mouth. Another example of slow cooking is our very own Mutton Biryani.
Now slow cooking, is definitely applicable for tough cuts--I am yet to learn any slow cooking recipe of tenderloin or rib-eye steak--the only exception being sous-vide however. Slow cooking methods like braising, stewing can be applicable for beef cuts like chuck,short ribs, flank, shank. Cuts of Lamb like shank, blade etc & similarly stew meats from pork, veal. However, shank of all the meats receive equal treatment, i.e. braising.Another of the pork cut, which I always prefer to braise for at least 2-3 hours, is Pork belly--unless, I am cooking in sous vide process for about 8-10 hours at a regulated temperature of about 72.2 Deg C.
But today, I am going to share a favorite recipe of mine, the last lamb I cooked at home.It is Lamb Shank. Well, there are two types of Lamb Shank you can get from one lamb--the hind one & the fore one. Generally, what you get in your supermarket is the fore shank.As with any cheap, inexpensive cut, like lamb shank the basic procedure remains the same--sear in a hot pan, after seasoning, with some oil until nicely browned. Once well browned, saute the basic mirepoix in the same pan, add some flour[adding flour is completely optional--when I cook, I rarely add any!!]& allow it to brown for sometime[an important part of caramelisation, as once it will simmer, it will release all its flavours to the braising liquid] followed by addition of braising liquid[generally a flavourful stock--try not to use just hot water]& cook slowly for about 2-3 hours, to get a tender meat, with a quite pronounced flavour of the meat[In this case, it being Lamb].Keep the meat aside, while you can strain & finish the sauce with the addition of lemon zest, garlic and parsley[yes, the gremolata seasoning goes well with any braised meat--not limited to only osso bucco!!] & serve with some root vegetables--pearl onions, potato, parsnip & always the classical accompaniment for lamb--beans & peas!!!
Here is the recipe...
Braised Lamb Shank[for 1 portion]
Ingredients:
Lamb Shank-1 no.
Seasoning- to taste, a sprig of rosemary & thyme
Lamb Stock-300 ml[preferably, homemade]
Shallots-50 gm(chopped fine)
Garlic-2 cloves(chopped fine)+4 garlic cloves, roasted & then peeled & roasted
Carrot-100 gm(chopped fine)
Olive Oil-25 ml
Bouquet Garni- 1
Butter-10 gm, chilled
Gremolata seasoning- zest of 1/2 lemon, 1/2 clove garlic chopped and 5 gm of chopped parsley
Method:
1. Season the lamb shank with thyme, rosemary & also salt-pepper. Heat a pan, when it is fairly hot enough & add in the olive oil until very hot. Sear the lamb shank on all sides, until well-browned. Once done, keep it aside in a colander and reserve the juices & drippings.Set the oven temperature to 160 Deg C.
2. In the same pan, saute the shallots, garlic, carrot until nicely browned. Deglaze with the lamb stock & add in the lamb shank & any drippings/juices from the shank & bring it to a boil. Once it comes to a boil,add the bouquet garni cover & cook in the oven for about 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove the bouquet garni & add in the pureed roasted garlic & cook for a further 1.5 hour. Check the doneness, by trying to pull the meat or pierce with a fork--if it is easy to pierce or pull the meat, it is done!!Another method--check if the meat has pulled away from the bone. If it is, then it is done. Once done, remove the shank from the liquid & reduce the liquid in the stove top, until it is of syrupy consistency.
3. Strain the sauce, check the seasoning & add in the gremolata & pour the sauce over the lamb shank. Serve with assorted root vegetables--pearl onions, parsnip, carrot. Alternatively, blue potato puree, sauted beans & peas are good combinations too...
Bon appetit!!!
My college professor said this, during our final year classes. Actually, we had a subject on "McDonaldisation" in our final year classes, versus "De-McDonaldisation". Actually it was quite opposed to what we were taught than what the concept of McDonaldised society is..a movement started by Carlo Petrini, popularly known as "Slow Food Movement".
It was the concept of how fast food chains are conquering [or ruining] our palates whilst restaurant--fine dining, casual dining, speciality restaurants are losing their charm. Since, F&B was not my interest[though it was a major], little do I remember about what we were taught. Truly, the fast food restaurants have exploited our appetite with some fried patty, some french fries & some condiments in a couple of seconds. Its tasty, it gives satiety to stomach..& for sometime...you are no more hungry.
I remember trying McDonald's in the year 2001, that too in Delhi [Unfortunately, McDonald could not enter Kolkata-The city of Joy before 2007, due to strict Anti-American Communist regime!!!] & I was blown away that I had one more...
Not drifting from our topic of the day, these fast foods have done more damage than it did any good.On the other hand, slow cooking has been forgotten by many patrons who are admirers of fast foods[Burgers, Sandwiches & so on & so forth]. Now you will find many people queueing in any fast food restaurant than any casual dining or speciality restaurant. Of course, who has been praising slow cooked food for long, will remain to be the loyal consumer [and there are exceptions to it].
Mutton is a meat that I learnt to cook with utmost reverence. Reasons, being its tough connective tissues, which makes it difficult to cook. In spite of having pressure cooker at home, I preferred cooking in slow temperature, especially in an oven. The advantage of cooking in the oven is that you can graduate the temperature, which is a little difficult in stovetop. The end result??Of course melt in the mouth. Another example of slow cooking is our very own Mutton Biryani.
Now slow cooking, is definitely applicable for tough cuts--I am yet to learn any slow cooking recipe of tenderloin or rib-eye steak--the only exception being sous-vide however. Slow cooking methods like braising, stewing can be applicable for beef cuts like chuck,short ribs, flank, shank. Cuts of Lamb like shank, blade etc & similarly stew meats from pork, veal. However, shank of all the meats receive equal treatment, i.e. braising.Another of the pork cut, which I always prefer to braise for at least 2-3 hours, is Pork belly--unless, I am cooking in sous vide process for about 8-10 hours at a regulated temperature of about 72.2 Deg C.
But today, I am going to share a favorite recipe of mine, the last lamb I cooked at home.It is Lamb Shank. Well, there are two types of Lamb Shank you can get from one lamb--the hind one & the fore one. Generally, what you get in your supermarket is the fore shank.As with any cheap, inexpensive cut, like lamb shank the basic procedure remains the same--sear in a hot pan, after seasoning, with some oil until nicely browned. Once well browned, saute the basic mirepoix in the same pan, add some flour[adding flour is completely optional--when I cook, I rarely add any!!]& allow it to brown for sometime[an important part of caramelisation, as once it will simmer, it will release all its flavours to the braising liquid] followed by addition of braising liquid[generally a flavourful stock--try not to use just hot water]& cook slowly for about 2-3 hours, to get a tender meat, with a quite pronounced flavour of the meat[In this case, it being Lamb].Keep the meat aside, while you can strain & finish the sauce with the addition of lemon zest, garlic and parsley[yes, the gremolata seasoning goes well with any braised meat--not limited to only osso bucco!!] & serve with some root vegetables--pearl onions, potato, parsnip & always the classical accompaniment for lamb--beans & peas!!!
Here is the recipe...
Braised Lamb Shank[for 1 portion]
Ingredients:
Lamb Shank-1 no.
Seasoning- to taste, a sprig of rosemary & thyme
Lamb Stock-300 ml[preferably, homemade]
Shallots-50 gm(chopped fine)
Garlic-2 cloves(chopped fine)+4 garlic cloves, roasted & then peeled & roasted
Carrot-100 gm(chopped fine)
Olive Oil-25 ml
Bouquet Garni- 1
Butter-10 gm, chilled
Gremolata seasoning- zest of 1/2 lemon, 1/2 clove garlic chopped and 5 gm of chopped parsley
Method:
1. Season the lamb shank with thyme, rosemary & also salt-pepper. Heat a pan, when it is fairly hot enough & add in the olive oil until very hot. Sear the lamb shank on all sides, until well-browned. Once done, keep it aside in a colander and reserve the juices & drippings.Set the oven temperature to 160 Deg C.
2. In the same pan, saute the shallots, garlic, carrot until nicely browned. Deglaze with the lamb stock & add in the lamb shank & any drippings/juices from the shank & bring it to a boil. Once it comes to a boil,add the bouquet garni cover & cook in the oven for about 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove the bouquet garni & add in the pureed roasted garlic & cook for a further 1.5 hour. Check the doneness, by trying to pull the meat or pierce with a fork--if it is easy to pierce or pull the meat, it is done!!Another method--check if the meat has pulled away from the bone. If it is, then it is done. Once done, remove the shank from the liquid & reduce the liquid in the stove top, until it is of syrupy consistency.3. Strain the sauce, check the seasoning & add in the gremolata & pour the sauce over the lamb shank. Serve with assorted root vegetables--pearl onions, parsnip, carrot. Alternatively, blue potato puree, sauted beans & peas are good combinations too...
Bon appetit!!!
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