Crust Fund

TECHNIQUE | Mere crumbs can turn meat into a masterpiece

It's sure hard to deny oneself a hunk of pot roast -- at least once in a while.

But heavy, slow-cooked food, the kind that's synonymous with the season, also has a way of bogging you down. Cooking these sauce-simmered selections is time-consuming and, often, wreaks havoc on the waistline.

Crusts -- which are 10 times removed from that shakeable, bakeable childhood bore -- might be the answer to your problems. Full of flavor, extra-easy and relatively calorie-light, they can elevate simple proteins to spectacular heights.

"Crusts add texture and can completely take the place of sauce," said Steve Chiappetti, chef at Viand, who makes a mean lamb sausage corndog. "Plus, they're less laborious."

The trick to a good crust is doing it right, and there are a few routes you can go. The most familiar -- and, arguably, beloved -- is the three-step dredging method, which uses in succession seasoned flour, egg and bread crumbs.

"For this method, the stovetop works best," said Kristine Kidd, food editor at Bon Appetit, which recently released The Bon Appetit Fast Easy Fresh Cookbook (Wiley, $34.95). "The heat from the hot oil or butter in the pan will seal and crisp the crust and cook the protein."

Of course, thicker cuts of meat and seafood initially can be seared on the stove and finished in the oven or even baked from the start.

"However you do it, choose items that give the protein [the most bang for its buck], such as spices, herbs, nuts, cheese, bread crumbs or cornmeal," Kidd said.

Chiappetti himself is a fan of using homemade bread crumbs -- of the pretzel variety.

"It'll blow you away because they take on a real maltiness when cooked," he said.

Although crusts are an easy way to amp up the taste factor, there are a few potential pitfalls you need to be aware of. For example, Kidd said it's important to avoid making the crust too thick.

"If you do, it will steam the protein," she said.

Then there's that pesky problem of losing or dislodging your crust.

"To prevent this from happening, cook your meat or fish until it's brown and crisp on the first side before you touch it," Kidd said, adding that it's best to flip only once.

When it comes to crusting foods, however, there's more than one way to get the job done. Another technique -- and restaurant fave -- is to create a moist, crumby topping, sans flour and egg. In this case, you simply lay the mixture atop meat or fish.

"I like to use bread crumbs moistened with olive oil and mixed with parsley, garlic and lemon zest," Chiappetti said. "It gets all toasty in the oven."

Kidd suggested first brushing the protein itself with oil, butter or mayonnaise.

"It'll help the crust stick," she assured. "Then, you can add the other ingredients on top."

Of course, you should never underestimate the power of a char-crust -- indoors or out. Consider rubbing seasonings or seeds (such as mustard, corian- der, fennel or sesame) directly onto your favorite protein. Then, heat the grill, making sure to spray it with high-heat-appropriate non-stick spray before cooking.

If you do opt to use the stovetop method when char-crusting, Andrew Brochu, executive chef at Pops for Champagne, has good advice.

"Start by melting butter or a combination of butter and olive oil over medium-high heat," said Brochu, a fan of coffee-crusted lamb. "Once it's sizzling, sear your protein. Right before it starts to smoke, toss in some more butter. Then, flip it, turn the heat down to medium and baste the protein with the melted butter as it cooks. This will keep it moist and prevent burning."

Jennifer Olvera is a Brookfield free-lance writer.