To the question of what is roast, each housewife has his own answer. Many cooks can also tell many recipes. But if meat slices in thick gravy are associated with someone with this name, another authoritatively declares that the recipe does not involve cutting a whole steak and the meat should be cooked whole. Fortunately, such a diversity of opinions does not cause controversy, but it opens up a huge field for creativity for culinary enthusiasts.
What kind of food is so many-sided? The history of the roast has more than one hundred years, and many peoples claim the right to be called an author. If you like to not only have a tasty meal, but also conjure yourself on a stove, our article will tell you a lot of interesting things about this treat and help you find answers to all questions.
Food without homeland
It will be more correct to say that there are many homelands in a roast. His recipe is extremely simple, and therefore it is not surprising that many cooks of past centuries thought of such a method of processing meat and vegetables.
Officially, the roast does not apply to any national cuisine. But recipes similar to each other, in which the most tender fried and then steamed meat, vegetables, spices and thick sauce are combined, are prepared in all corners of the Earth. Going to Hungary, you will surely taste goulash on the first day. Hospitable Turks will certainly offer the traveler a yahnya. Resting in Georgia, everyone will want to feast on the chanakhs. The Tatars treat guests with their legendary basics, the English with a fragrant style, and the Bulgarians with a guchev.
Frankly, any of these and many other national dishes of different nations of the world can be called hot.
Ancient history
In modern Russian cuisine, it is considered that the three essential ingredients of roast are meat, potatoes and onions. Many complement this list with carrots. It is worth noting that the potato appeared in Russia not so long ago, and it did not immediately spread. So, in ancient recipes it could not be. In the old days, meat was fried in hemp or linseed oil, and then stewed in an oven.
Mentioning the question about what is fried will help to mention this dish in historical documents. For example, it is known for certain that at the wedding feast of Tsar Alexander Mikhailovich and Princess Naryshkina, guests were treated hot. Since the 17th century, this dish has been on the menu of most of the royal feasts. Moreover, it could be served both at the beginning of the meal, and after the soup (cabbage soup, hodgepodge, fish soup).
King's special decree
One who is truly in love with cooking, probably cares not only about adhering to the cooking technology and serving, but also about the history of the dishes. In the case of fries, an interesting fact is worth mentioning.
Once this dish was served at the table of the English king Charles II. Having tasted the first spoon, the monarch jumped up, put a sword to the plate and proclaimed that from now on this delicacy has a noble title. No other titled dish of modern culinary history is known.
Roast in Russian cuisine
In Russia, this treat was so widespread that many researchers propose to consider it to be native Russian. The root "heat" speaks of a cooking method. Thanks to high temperatures and a long stew time, the meat turned out to be soft and soft.
Arguing about what is so hot, technologists note that beef stroganoff can be considered one of the recipe options. It is noteworthy that the “correct” cutting of meat does not exist: any pieces are allowed, from very small to huge. In the second case, the meat is cut immediately before serving.
Modern cooks of Russian cuisine also know what is roast and how to cook it. Whether you decide to dine in an expensive restaurant, a roadside tavern, or a student canteen, you will certainly find this dish on the menu. Russian restaurants in other countries also offer fries to their guests.
"Third ingredient"
In fairness, it is worth noting that over the ocean this dish is not exclusively considered Russian. For example, let's recall the story of a dinner when three people met around a pot with roast, chilled by the weather and adversity.
The reader, who is familiar with the wonderful world of O'Henry, probably already understood that this is a good and full of happy coincidences novel “The Third Ingredient”. The dismissed saleswoman Hattie had a little beef brisket, the unfortunate artist Cecilia had a couple of potatoes, and the cold young millionaire had a raw bulb, which he intended to treat the disease. We will not retell the plot, because the short story is definitely worth reading. We will only say that cooking roast brought the lovers who lost each other and their good fairy, who played an important role in the happy reunion.
Three fates intertwined intricately that damp evening, as the tastes of meat, potatoes and onions intertwine in a gurgling pot.
Modern cooking methods
So, having understood what is so hot, it's time to learn how to cook it. To begin with, we emphasize once again the variety of ways. There were many of them in former times, but today the circle has expanded even more. Many housewives rightly believe that the best roast can be cooked in a slow cooker. But even on the stove or in the oven, it turns out to be excellent. And if you have a ducklings, cast-iron wok or cauldron, be sure to give preference to this particular dish.
In home recipes, as in past centuries, beef, pork, and chicken most often appear. As for vegetables, you can add to the roast not only potatoes and onions, but also carrots, bell peppers, young zucchini, tomato. Vegetarians use mushrooms instead of animal products, and their version of food is not inferior to meat.
Professional chefs combine lamb with mint and fennel, beef - with rosemary and lovage, chicken and duck flavored with garlic and marjoram.
A roast recipe with potatoes in pots is considered festive; in many families it is prepared before the arrival of dear guests. Maybe this recipe is also missing in your cookbook?
Pot roast
Cut, as you like, 500 g of chicken breast and fry over high heat for several minutes. In the remaining fat, warm the potatoes (500 g), onions (150 g) and mushrooms (200 g). Place the ingredients in the pots in random order: mixed or in layers. Pour some broth or water into each.
Send the fries with potatoes in the oven preheated to 200 ° C for an hour and a half. At the end of cooking, turn off the heat, add 2 tablespoons of cream, mayonnaise or sour cream to each pot and let the roast stand in the oven for a bit more. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.
You can supplement and diversify the composition of home-made roast recipes with any seasonal vegetables, olives, cheese. The food looks especially impressive, for which not clay pot lids are used, but fresh dough.
Popular opinion
Reviews of home-made roast recipes once again confirm that this dish definitely deserves attention. Mistresses note that it is very simple to cook, it does not require special costs for products, everything you need can easily be found in the nearest supermarket or in the market.
Tourists who were far from their homeland assure that the taste of fries in Russian restaurants reminds of a distant home, brings a lot of positive emotions, excites warm memories of childhood.
According to professional chefs, like any dish with a rich history, fries are in high demand. And the opportunity to improvise with proportions and a set of products makes it possible to replenish the menu with new products.
If you haven’t cooked this dish yet , be sure to master the basic recipe. And in the future, do not be afraid of experiments in order to delight your relatives with different versions of this delicious treat.