SC - Cooking over embers -- stove equivalent?

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Robin Carroll-Mann wrote:
> 
> > <<  The instructions are to cook it in
> >  the casserole dish with herbs and a small amount of liquid over the
> >  coals/embers ("brasas"). >>

> I thought so at first, but I read through the entire fish section of the
> _Libro de Guisados_.  There are 6 primary methods listed for
> cooking fish: spit-roasted ("asado"), grilled on gratings ("en
> parrillas"), fried ("fritos"), in pastry ("en pan"),  in casserole ("en
> cazuela"), and boiled ("cocido").
> 
> Of these, "cocido" seems to correspond directly to poaching.  The
> fish is cooked with water and salt and sometimes oil.  Herbs and
> other things may be added for flavoring.  Many of the recipes for
> this method specify that the water is to be boiling before the fish is
> added.
> 
> Fish done "en cazuela", on the other hand, is placed in the
> casserole with spices, herbs, and a small amount of liquid: verjuice
> or orange juice and/or oil.  It is then cooked on the embers or in the
> oven.  Several of the recipes specify that the casserole must be
> tightly covered, and if it is not, it should be cooked in the oven.  I
> imagine that this is to ensure that the fish is exposed to heat on
> top, since it is apparently not covered by the liquid.

The closest expression used in culinary English would be braising, which
sounds etymologically linked to the term "brasas". There are two types
of braising, a white version in which the ingredients are not browned
before adding liquid, and a brown verison in which they are. The latter
seems to be more common, but certain dishes ranging from Irish Stew to
Blanquette of Veal seem to fall into the former category, and so does
this salmon dish. In theory braised dishes (especially those where you
have large chunks of foods, usually meats, braised whole rather than in
chunks) should only be covered partially covered with liquid, generally
halfway up the side of the meat.  
 
> Hmmm... maybe at a gentle simmer, tightly covered?

Possibly. I think the idea of using the embers is that they have a
relatively gentle a stable heat, and also perhaps because they can be
banked up the sides if the pot. Your best bet might be to cook the dish
in something like a Dutch oven or covered casserole in the oven, or
perhaps with some kind of heat diffuser (possibly one of those asbestos
gizmos) on a low heat on top of the stove.

Does the recipe specify covering the dish? If not, cooking it uncovered
on top of the stove (which would presumably require _very_ gentle heat,
and long cooking) might be the closest to what the original author has
in mind. 

Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com
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