Need some good recipes/ideas for my new pot

[chloe23]

Hi Everyone,
I just bought myself a 5 qt oval french oven from Le Creuset and wanted to know what kind of recipes/ideas you have for me to use my pot. I'm excited to start cooking, but don't know where to start. Also, it took so long for me to decided whether I wanted a round or oval shape oven. I just like the look of the oval and thought it would go nicely with my other cookware collections :P Anyhow, if any of you have any ideas, suggestions, etc, I would greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Mezzaluna]

Chloe, your oval oven is great for braising roasts, making stews and roasting vegetables or chicken. I used to have a round Le Creuset casserole and it was excellent for long-cooking dishes. I remember fondly a batch of tripes a la mode de Caen. The casserole made all the difference.

Good luck!

[scottgreenwood]

Chloe,

I have two Le Creuset ovens I love working with, one oval, one round. One of them is 5 quart.

This time of year, when it's hot, why not try a ratatouille? I grill each of the vegetables separately, then finish them in the french oven on the stovetop. I saute a bit of garlic in the french oven, then add the grilled vegetables and cook only a few minutes.

In the fall or winter I'll share a nice messy recipe or two.

[chloe23]

Thanks for the replies. I'll definitely use your ideas. Scott...what kind of messy recipe do you have during the fall/winter? Do you mind sharing?

[scottgreenwood]

One of my faves is an Asian-style short-rib braise. It's definitely messy, but worth trying (when I can dig up the recipe).

[MarkV]

I love braised dishes in such a pot. I don't care if it's summer or winter. Just this weekend I made braised lamb shanks.

My other favorite is braised veal shanks, a.k.a., osso buco.

Mark

[Cookie Dots]

Poit Roast Chicken with Lemon and Garlic

2tbsp olive oil
2tbsp butter
1 cup chopped ham
8 garlic cloves peeled
4 onions quartered
2tsp plain flour
21/2 cups chicken stock
2 lemons thickly sliced
3 tbsp frsh thyme
1 chicken (about 3.5 lbs)
2 cans cannelli beans drained
salt and ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375
Heat the oil and butter in the casserole on top of stove
And the ham cook until golden
Remove with slotted spoon and drain on paper towel

Add garlic and onions and brown over high heat. Stire in flour, then the stock. Return the ham to the pan with the lemon, thyme and seasonings.

Bring the sauce to a boil stirring constantly until thickened. Then place the chicken on top. Season well.

Put casserole in oven for 1 hour. Baste chicken once or twice.

Bast the chicken at one hour again, stir in the beans and return to the oven for 3 more minutes until chicken is cooked through and tender.

Carve the chicken into thick slices and serve with beans.

This is easy, delicious and pretty.

[CapeCodder]

Is this a joke query?

Most sane people buy the pot AFTER they know what need it for.

But at least you know the VERY chic brand name.

[scottgreenwood]

Why is it a joke just because someone wants to know how to use a piece of cookware?

And the "chic" factor is irrelevant. My ovens have 99 year warranties, and I put them to the test. The brand succeeds because Le Creuset makes a superior product that performs beautifully. Not many products of any kind can lay claim to that. The only cookware that is really comparable -- cast iron and enamel -- is Staub.

I gave a 5 quart round Le Creuset oven to friends recently for a housewarming. Why? He's one of the best cooks I know, and they didn't own one. I wanted them to have soomething they would use literally the rest of their lives.