Advertisement Dutch ovens, that is. After some 300 years as a staid kitchen workhorse, these heavy cast-iron pots have become must-have accessories for the cook who wants it all. And until recently, bragging rights could set you back hundreds of dollars.
But the success of high-end brands such as Le Creuset, whose iconic brightly colored pots are as much display pieces as cookware, has spawned a fast-growing kitchenware niche of cheaper knockoffs.
Suddenly splashy enameled cast-iron Dutch ovens seem to be everywhere. Martha Stewart has her own line at Macy’s, while versions bearing the names of celebrity chefs Mario Batali, Paula Deen and Rachael Ray are at retailers nationwide. The pots are standard fare for Williams-Sonoma, where a 151/2-quart red oval Le Creuset Dutch oven fetches $415, as well as for Wal-Mart, where a green 31/2-quart Tramontina goes for under $30.
Cast-iron Dutch ovens, which can be round or oval, have been around for centuries, dating to at least 17th century Europe. Because they originally were intended for hearth-style cooking, most early versions had legs for standing them over a bed of coals.
Then and now, they are prized for their ability to retain heat and moisture and move easily from the stovetop to the oven, making them ideal for stews, baked beans, roasts, braising, even baked goods.
“They’re the original slow cookers,” says Vernon Winterton, author of “101 Things to do with a Dutch Oven.”
Lisa McManus, senior editor at Cook’s Illustrated magazine, says the hype about Dutch ovens is merited. She spent a month testing numerous models for a review. She says they excel at keeping food moist, and even double as a deep-fryer.
Le Creuset and All-Clad versions were test-kitchen favorites, McManus says, but testers found that a cheaper version, such as the 6-1/2-quart Tramontina model sold for about $40 at Wal-Mart, was a good, inexpensive alternative.
“The ones that we tested, we use them every day and we make everything in them,” she said. “It’s one of those pots you buy once and hand down to your grandchildren.”
Roasted Red Pears
1 tablespoon salted butter
1-1/4 cups sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
5 Jonagold (or other sweet, crisp variety) apples, peeled, cored and chopped
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts
1 cup red wine
1 cinnamon stick
1 strip of lemon zest
6 Bosc pears, peeled but not cored
1 pint heavy cream
In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the butter and 1/4 cup of the sugar. Heat until the butter has melted. Add the apples, cover and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the walnuts. Set aside.
In a 5-1/2-quart Dutch oven, bring the red wine and 1 cup of the remaining sugar to a boil. Add the cinnamon stick and lemon zest. Reduce heat to simmer. Slice off the bottom of each pair, cutting only enough to create a flat surface so the pears can stand upright.
Stand the pears in the Dutch oven. Cover and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, or until tender. Transfer the pears to a platter. Increase the heat under the Dutch oven to medium and simmer the liquid until reduced to a thick glaze, about
10 minutes.
In a large bowl, whip the cream with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar until stiff peaks form. Set aside. Divide the apple mixture between 6 serving plates. Stand a pear on top of the apples on each plate, then spoon some of the glaze over each. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.
(Recipe from Julie Kramis Hearne and Sharon Kramis’ “The Dutch Oven Cookbook,” Sasquatch Books, 2006)
Oven-Baked Cannellini Beans
1 pound (about 2-1/2 cups) dried cannellini beans (or other dried white beans)
4 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, halved
1 bay leaf
2 to 3 cups water or unsalted chicken
broth, or as needed
Coarse salt and ground black pepper
Place the beans in a large bowl, and then add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
Alternatively, place the beans in a large saucepan, add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches, then bring to a boil, cover and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the beans stand in the water, covered, for 1 hour. Use a colander to drain the beans.
Heat the oven to 325 degrees. In a medium to large Dutch oven (4 to 8 quarts), combine the beans, garlic, olive oil, onion and bay leaf. Add enough water or broth to cover the beans. Cover the pot and bake for 11/2 to 2 hours, or until the beans are tender. Remove from the oven and let stand, covered, for 30 minutes. As the beans cool, they will absorb most of the excess cooking liquid.
Scoop out and discard the onion halves and bay leaf. Use a mesh strainer to drain and discard any liquid not absorbed by the beans. Season the beans with salt and pepper. Makes 8 servings.
(Recipe from Marie Simmons’ “Things Cooks Love,” Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2008)
Orange Cranberry Rolls
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
2 cups warm water, divided
7 tablespoons sugar, divided
6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting work surface
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup instant nonfat dry milk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup dried or frozen cranberries
2 teaspoons orange extract
Zest of 2 oranges
In a small bowl, whisk together the yeast, 1 cup of the water and 4 tablespoons of the sugar. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, dry milk and remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar. Add the butter and cranberries, then use a rubber spatula to fold the mixture together. As you mix, pour in the yeast mixture, orange extract and orange zest. As you mix the dough, be sure to scrape up any dry flour from the bottom of the bowl. Add the remaining 1 cup of water and mix well. Use wet hands to knead the dough in the bowl until elastic but not sticky, about 10 minutes.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 30 minutes, or until it doubles in size. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead 10 to 15 times. Punch down the dough and divide into 16 balls.
Place a 12-inch-round Dutch oven over low heat for about 30 seconds. Let the pot get just barely warm to the touch. Do not let the bottom get hot. Remove from the heat. Coat the pot with cooking spray.
Arrange the balls of dough in the Dutch oven; they will touch. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the rolls double in size and do not readily spring back when poked with finger, at least 1 hour.
Adjust an oven rack to the lowest position and heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cover the Dutch oven with its lid, then bake the rolls for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to bake until the rolls are browned, about another 15 minutes. Carefully remove the rolls from pot, cool and serve. Makes 16 servings.
(Recipe adapted from Vernon Winterton’s “101 Things to do with a Dutch Oven,” Gibbs Smith, 2006)
