12 slow-cooked spring dishes to take your time

Take time

The very principle of simmering is… that it simmers! And the longer the better? In theory, yes, particularly in the case of meats that take a long time to cook, such as beef bourguignon. You also need to give the sauce time to reduce and the flavors to emerge. That being said, some stews take less cooking time, like some fish recipes, but not all. Bouillabaisse, for example, takes a certain amount of time.

True and false simmer

In cooking, we can say that there are “real” and “false” stews. Real stews are the great classics of sauce dishes such as blanquette, pot-au-feu, coq au vin, or even chicken au pot. But other recipes are similar to stews without really being them. For example, a long-reduced broth accompanied by sole; a creamy minute sauce with spring vegetables served with meat; or a generous soup garnished with chicken and vegetables, all of which are more or less similar to stews. If we dared to take an all-out shortcut, we would say that a dish called “in sauce” falls into this category, whether it takes a long time to cook or not. A summary which highlights the essentials of this type of dish, namely an animal or vegetable garnish, accompanied by a sauce, milky or not, reduced or not, more or less liquid.

In spring, we give it to you in a thousand, seasonal products are popular in our recipes. Peas, artichokes, green asparagus, aromatic herbs, green is definitely at the heart of the plate. On the meat side, lamb and veal are in the spotlight. But we shouldn't ignore spring fish either, because we remember, fish also have a season!

To be continued: 12 slow-cooked spring dishes to try without hesitation.