Collection: Entrées and Side Dishes

Entrée (French meaning entry or entrance) is one of several savory courses in a Western-style formal meal service. Its traditional definition, still used in Europe, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand etc. (indeed, almost everywhere in the world outside of North America) refers to a smaller course that precedes the main course; however, in North America, the disappearance in the early 20th century of a large communal main course such as a roast as a standard part of the meal has led to the term ‘Entrée’ being used to describe the main course itself.

There are four different techniques of cooking meats the waterless, greaseless way on top of the stove: roasting, sautéing, pan broiling (stove-top grilling), and baking. Cooking meats with liquids is referred to braising and marinating.

Throughout this section, you will learn the methods of cooking a roast on top of the stove, how to cook the perfect steak, how to bake, the methods associated with braising, and the quick and easy methods of sautéing. All the recipes are cooked on top of the stove.

Sautéing and Stove-Top Grilling…

Because heat is conducted very efficiently through Health Craft waterless, greaseless cookware to the meat, the meat’s surface tends to brown very quickly, in 1 to 2 minutes. No fat is needed for cooking. Once the meat is browned sufficiently, it will release from the pan for turning. To prevent the meat’s surface from toughening while the inside cooks the heat is usually reduced after the initial. If the pan is covered, water vapor is trapped and a process more like basting results. Therefore, you must open the vent when pan-broiling (stove-top grilling).

Roasting and Baking on Top of the Stove…

If you brown first and then roast on top of the stove at medium to medium-high temperatures for a given doneness, your meat will have been cooked in a brief period of time.

Instructions for roasting on top of the stove are simple to follow. Preheat the pans.

Cover the pan, close the vent, and reduce the heat to medium-low. When bubbles begin to form around the cover, you have reached the proper cooking temperature for roasting on top of the stove. If there are no bubbles, the heat is too low. If the moisture around the rim of the cover is spitting, the heat is too high. It is that simple to start roasting your meat the waterless, greaseless way on top of the stove with Health Craft cookware. bottom over medium or medium-high heat. Sprinkle a few drops of water into the pan. If the water droplets “dance,” then the pan is hot enough to quickly brown the meat. If they just evaporate, then the pan is not hot enough. Place the meat in the pan and brown on all sides.

Doneness Test

• Rare: Rest your left thumb against your left forefinger and press down on the soft fleshy part at the base of your left thumb with your right forefinger. That is what rare feels like.
• Medium-Rare: Place your left thumb directly over the center of your left forefinger and press down on the soft fleshy part at the base of your left thumb with your right forefinger. That is what medium-rare feels like.
• Medium: Place your left thumb in between your left forefinger and your left middle finger and press down on the soft fleshy part at the base of your left thumb with your right forefinger. That is what the medium feels like.
• Medium-Well: Place your left thumb directly over the center of your left middle finger and press down on the soft fleshy part at the base of your left thumb with your right forefinger. That is what medium-well feels like.

Deglazing the Pan

One of the most sought-after features by professional chefs and knowledgeable home cooks is Health Craft’s non-porous surgical stainless-steel cooking surface. The pan’s ability to completely release food particles (deglaze) adds the intense natural flavor of the meats cooked without the taste of contamination from the less expensive metals and coatings used in the manufacturing of most other pots and pans.

The chemistry of searing (caramelizing) the outer surface of meat is to cook it when it is room temperature. When placed into a hot pan, the meat immediately sticks to the pan and the natural salts and sugars in the meat are drawn to the surface along with melting marbleized fat. This process not only provides intense flavor to the outer surface of the meat, but the melting fat lubricates the pan as the meat is naturally tenderized. The result is that the juices are locked inside, and the meat removes easily from the pan’s surface when the searing process is complete. Secondly, the residue remaining on the pan contains an intense natural flavor. When meat stock, wine or liquid is added (deglazing), the residue is released to form a complimentary au juice or simmered down to become an intensely flavored gravy or demy glace.