Andean Clay pots

[FoodMan]

I picked up one of these at Sur La Table a couple of days ago on sale. I am getting ready to cure it but according to the brochure that came with it, to do so all I need to do is pour BOILING water in it and let it sit for a while. I am a bit skeptical about pouring boiling anything in a clay pot! Does anyone have any experience with this type of clay? I am used to just soaking terracotta cookware in cold water for several hours before first use but never do I pour hot liquid in them. Any advice is appreciated before I thermally shock my new cool looking pot.

BTW I also picked up a nice large clay cazuela (from Portugal) for a very good price of 5.99 because they have been discontinued. So if you are interested in one of those chek out if your local SLT has any. Now for this the instructions say what I would expect, soak for 12 hours in cold water.

[Smithy]

I've no advice for you, but I'm so glad you picked up one of those! I was admiring them recently. You *will* post photos of finished dishes in it, won't you? So's we can enjoy it too.

[FoodMan]

anyone?....anyone?

[Wolfert]

I don't have that particular pot but I think it is very similar to the Columbian black clay la chamba pots www.nutierra.com

Elie: Don't worry about pouring hot water into this kind of clay pot with porous walls.

This is the first step to the evolution from a 'new' to 'seasoned' pot. What you cook in it will continue the process.

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[fifi]

Oh my . . . And they have a frog, too. I have this thing about frogs.

What Wolfert said. The instructions that came with my La Chamba called for soaking, putting water in it and into the oven for a bit. The last casserole I bought I poured hot, just about boiling water into it from my teapot. No problem.

[FoodMan]

I've no advice for you, but I'm so glad you picked up one of those!  I was admiring them recently.  You *will* post photos of finished dishes in it, won't you?  So's we can enjoy it too. 

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Here you go Smithy, the first dish cooked in the little piggy

Eggplant a la Parmigianna

[Smithy]

Beautiful! How was the flavor? Did the pot make a difference beyond the aesthetics?

[FoodMan]

Beautiful!  How was the flavor?  Did the pot make a difference beyond the aesthetics?

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Yes it did. It defintily takes longer to cook than when I made it in a ceramic or glass baking dish. maybe twice as long. The eggplant was meltingly tender but kept its shape. More importantly the cooking was very even, usually the cirumference of the dish gets crusty crispy and sticks to the edge of the baking dish. Not this time, it was cooked perfectly from edge to center. So by the end of cooking time, instead of it bubbling furiously around the edges, it was slowly simmering. I cannot wait to try it with more challenging stuff, like mac and cheese, and gratins . Also the dish itself never got too hot, but stayed warm for quiet a while after leaving the oven.

[lovebenton0]

i love my black chamba 4 qt pot. have used it for many good meals, on electric cooktop, gas cooktop and in the oven. however, now i'm living in a flat with one of those fancy dancy glass topped ranges. i want to cook a nice chicky in it. for some reason i'm just hesitant to set my chamba on the element. i have a simmer plate, maybe that would help. or am i being anxious for no reason?

[Abra]

I set my riffi tagine on my glass top with no problems, I just start it cold and warm it slowly.

[Octaveman]

I recently moved to a place with a glass top stove and my riffi started to burn. Tried putting a diffuser underneath and it too started to burn. Very dissapointing. I thought I read somewhere on egullet that their diffuser melted during use. I can't find it to determine if it was on a glass top stove.

[Wolfert]

The simmer mat is supposed to work on all surfaces including glass. I think if you place the simmer mat with nobs facing downward you won't have a problem. And, of course, starting on low heat.

[Octaveman]

Thanks, Paula. Nobs down...got it...I'll give it a try. This is my first glass top stove and I had no idea how to use it so I did some reading. One thing this "reading" said was to only use pans that sit flush with the glass. What are the ramifications of using pans/simmer mats, etc. that don't sit flush? When my rifi started burning, I thought it was because it wasn't sitting flat due to the hand-made nature of the pot. I then got nervous to use my Chamba cassarole on it and haven't used it except in the oven.

[Wolfert]

I no longer have the directions that came with my simmer mat, but I THINK it was nobs down.

Why not call the shop where you purchased the simmer mat and ask them which way it is supposed to be set on the glass top.

[memesuze]

the instructions:

knobs down for glass and ceramic electric stoves; knobs up for gas cooktops, BBQs, coil and solid ring electric stoves, camping, marine and logburners

cook food or bring to the boil, place the simmermat on the elment, then pot on top; turn element down low.