Au Sec - This is a French term which translates to ‘nearly dry’. It refers to the technique of reducing a liquid to the point where it is almost dry. The term is often used when referring to creating sauces. When reducing liquid to create a sauce, it is usually left on the stove for a time until most of the liquid has evaporated and you are left with either a syrupy or a more concentrated flavorful solution.
Beurre Blanc - A classic French ‘white butter’ sauce that can be served with fish such as bass or pike and vegetables. It is made by combining butter, vinegar, white wine reduction, and shallots. What’s great about this sauce is that you may add other flavors to it such as chili, mustard, lemon, or ginger. It is great on its own but it’s also a great canvas to add other ingredients for additional flavor.
Braise - Braising might be easily confused with stewing but they are in fact different cooking methods. Braising may be done with vegetables but it is more often done with large cuts of meat. To braise, you brown or quickly sear the piece of meat and then continue cooking it on a gentle simmer in some liquid. It will soften the meat and the liquid that contains herbs, spices, and other ingredients will infuse it with flavor. Stewing is almost the same but it involves smaller cuts of meat that is then completely submerged in the liquid. .
Brine - The method of brining was originally used to preserve food, however since we have refrigerators and other ways of preserving food better, the method is now used for flavor and texture. When brining something such as poultry, it is soaked in a solution for a number of hours. The solution at its basic form is salt and water with maybe some herbs or spices. However, you can also use other liquids for brining such as vinegar, wine, or even certain fruit juices. Brine not only adds flavor to the food but it also helps tenderize the texture.
Concasse - This is a French term that means ‘ to crush or to grind’. It’s used when referring to roughly chopping an ingredient that’s usually a vegetable. The most common ingredient used when learning concasse is probably tomatoes. Tomatoes are scored and then boiled very briefly to help the removal of the skin. Then it is roughly chopped and used in a dish such as a sauce.
