(What to do with) Unusual Cooking Pots, Pans and Small Appliances

[TdeV]

I just received this present

It's an enamelled cast iron baker by Technique, model Green Pepper (sorry @rotuts). It stands 6 1/2" (165mm) tall on the outside, not counting the handle. The base of the pot holds 8 cups (1.9 litres) to the rim, so for cooked food it would be somewhat less.

 

Ideas for what to cook in it? How I can learn how it's used?

[rotuts]

@TdeV 

 

Im deeply sorry its Green.

 

and begins to remind me 

 

of a GBP

 

after some personal beverage and hydration therapy.

 

Im in NE and , w the Heat ( oil , unfortunately ) running 

 

it gets a bit dry

 

and indeed I have misters etc 

 

but back on point :

 

pretend your item is Red

 

pretend it does not look like a GBP

 

and you are very set for 

 

a Good Time with it

 

treat it the same as any quality ECI

 

please post what you intend to do with it

 

cheers

[blue_dolphin]

I have a red tomato-shaped Le Creuset pot of about the same size that I also received as a gift.  I use it for beans, braises, casseroles, etc. same as any enameled cast iron.  I've found it quite handy to have a smaller-sized baker. 

[TdeV]

Thanks @blue_dolphin. Why does one use a covered baker?

[blue_dolphin]

3 minutes ago, TdeV said:

Thanks @blue_dolphin. Why does one use a covered baker?

 

I use it where a cover is useful to manage evaporation.   A braise is generally defined as being first seared, then cooked in a covered pot.  If I cook dried beans in an uncovered pot, I need to add liquid more frequently than I can remember so I find a lid handy.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Consider it a mini-Dutch oven.    Or a cookie jar.

[gfweb]

re-gift it

[Alex]

3 hours ago, TdeV said:

Ideas for what to cook in it?

 

Stuffed peppers, of course!

[Anna N]

1 hour ago, gfweb said:

re-gift it

If you have pets it makes a great non-tippable water bowl. 

[TdeV]

Thanks, @Margaret Pilgrim. I shall look into Dutch ovens.

 

[weinoo]

18 hours ago, TdeV said:

I just received this present

 

 

Ideas for what to cook in it? How I can learn how it's used?

 

You're not telling us enough! Who'd it come from? A jilted lover perhaps?  A disgruntled employee? 

 

This would add so much to the story, and perhaps help us with what might be cooked in it!

[Anna N]

4 minutes ago, weinoo said:

 

You're not telling us enough! Who'd it come from? A jilted lover perhaps?  A disgruntled employee? 

 

This would add so much to the story, and perhaps help us with what might be cooked in it!

And how do you feel about being the 4th person to be re-gifted with this item?

[TdeV]

Vous gens are hilarious. Thank you for improving my morning.

 

Even though I don't think the pot has ever been used, I don't know why you think I'm only the 4th person to have had it, @Anna N.

 

Mitch, the pot is from my BF who is a fellow traveller on the Instant Pot road, though a bit less interested. She does make a complicated, truly fabulous cookie with browned butter, possibly ground hazelnuts, then finished by rolling in salt. Naturally, one present I gave her is a (used) copy of DORIE'S COOKIES by Dorie Greenspan. She claims I was hinting. She would be right!

 

I'm winding up to make cassoulet with RG beans and this would be a great receptacle, except I think it's too small.

 

I don't know anything about braises or Dutch ovens, so I'll investigate.

 

Suggestions welcome.

[Anna N]

9 minutes ago, TdeV said:

I don't know anything about braises or Dutch ovens, so I'll investigate.

 

Suggestions welcome.

 You could do worse than get a copy of Molly Stevens’ All About Braising. 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

5 hours ago, Anna N said:

 You could do worse than get a copy of Molly Stevens’ All About Braising. 

 

Or Rhulman's How to Braise...or eGullet.

 

https://forums.egullet.org/topic/143759-braising-help-needed/

 

 

Edit:  I notice How to Braise is $1.99 at the moment on Kindle.

 

 

 

Edited December 24, 2020 by JoNorvelleWalker (log)

[TdeV]

Can one sear meat on the stovetop in a enamelled cast iron pan?

[JoNorvelleWalker]

1 minute ago, TdeV said:

Can one sear meat on the stovetop in a enamelled cast iron pan?

 

Yes.

 

[Dr. Teeth]

It’s a bit small to braise in or cook beans, although those are things I love to do.   maybe a very small cut like lamb shanks for two or a shakshuka.  Except for it being a gift from your BF, I would put it on eBay.    Somewhere out there is someone who will love it.

 

 

 

[gfweb]

6 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

Or Rhulman's How to Braise...or eGullet.

 

https://forums.egullet.org/topic/143759-braising-help-needed/

 

 

Edit:  I notice How to Braise is $1.99 at the moment on Kindle.

 

 

 

I have a hard time getting past Ruhlman being FOS on various topics

[JoNorvelleWalker]

4 minutes ago, gfweb said:

I have a hard time getting past Ruhlman being FOS on various topics

 

Nice spoons.

 

[gfweb]

16 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

Nice spoons.

 

Admittedly.

Though I'm a Grey Kunz guy.

[TdeV]

How important is the heavy lid?

I'm wondering whether the same cooking would occur if the pot were covered in aluminum foil, or a glass saucepan lid.

 

(This morning I'm reading various cookbooks which touch on the subject of braising. Note: I did buy Molly Stevens' and Ruhlman's books but it will be some time before they arrive. And I've started on @JoNorvelleWalker's thread about braising).

[chord]

Aside from braising, here are a few other ideas:

1. Use it as a tureen to keep soups and stews warm on your dining table.
2. Bake no-knead bread: https://www.seriouseats.com/2011/06/the-food-lab-the-science-of-no-knead-dough.html
3. Use it as an outdoor ice bucket like in the below picture.

 

 

Edited December 25, 2020 by chord (log)

[blue_dolphin]

As mentioned, I have an LC tomato that's pretty much the same size as this green pepper.  I find the small size quite handy for things like cooking 1/2 lb of dried beans or braising a small-ish piece of meat, serving 2 or maybe 3 at the most.  Not long ago, I used it for a half-batch of the beef cheek barbacoa from Josef Centeno's Amá with about 1.5 lbs of beef cheeks.  Perfect size to cover that amount of meat in liquid for a braise.

But most people don't braise miniature amounts of stuff like that. They want to serve more people and maybe have leftovers.  The bottom surface is probably ~ 6-inches across at the base so you can't really sear anything big at all. 

It's a handly little pot for someone like me but I wouldn't embark on a braising binge over it. 

 

29 minutes ago, chord said:

 

1. Use it as a tureen to keep soups and stews warm on your dining table.
2. Bake no-knead bread: https://www.seriouseats.com/2011/06/the-food-lab-the-science-of-no-knead-dough.html
3. Use it as an outdoor ice bucket like in the below picture.

 

It's certainly a cute little serving dish so that's a good idea.  It would only bake very small loaves of bread and in the ice bucket application pictured, it could probably hold 1 glass, surrounded by ice.  Maybe 2 or 3 shot glasses in a bed of crushed ice.

[chord]

5 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

 

It's certainly a cute little serving dish so that's a good idea.  It would only bake very small loaves of bread and in the ice bucket application pictured, it could probably hold 1 glass, surrounded by ice.  Maybe 2 or 3 shot glasses in a bed of crushed ice.

 

A 2 quart pot should make a decent sized boule. The linked recipe uses 300g of flour. I regularly bake a 450g loaf in a 3qt Lodge and it doesn't come close to filling the pot.