I’ve become quite the Le Creuset collector over the past few years. Taking advantage of our employee discount at The Chopping Block has certainly helped to feed my little addiction, but I’m always on the hunt for new pieces in different colors, shapes and sizes. If you’re not familiar with Le Creuset, let me acquaint you. Their brightly colored enameled cast iron has been gracing French kitchens and tables both chic and humble for almost almost 100 years. The enamel interior makes for a non-stick, easy to clean surface that distributes heat evenly, browns beautifully and resists scratching.
Le Creuset began importing to America in the ‘50s and my mom, like many 70’s brides received her first set of Le Creuset as a wedding gift. She still uses it to this day! I got my first piece of Le Creuset (a giant oval french oven) as a wedding gift as well - it’s my favorite pot for making big batches of chili! There is so much variety in the line that you can find a Le Creuset piece for almost every kitchen task.
One of my favorite pieces, and a favorite at The Chopping Block, is the Braiser.
The braiser is my go-to for almost everything I make. Stews, sautes and pasta sauces all benefit from the braiser’s brilliant design. The braiser really shines for braises, of course. This low and slow oven cooking method locks in flavor and the design of the Le Creuset lid creates a self-basting effect to seal in steam and moisture. Food cooks faster and stays tender!
The braiser can also double as a baking dish and is our vessel of choice for The Chopping Block’s famous Buttery Dinner Rolls.
My other favorite pan is the Le Creuset Non-Stick Skillet.
Lightweight but extremely durable, the toughened non-stick surface is perfect for frying up eggs, crepes and veggies. I especially love it for making my famous sauteed wild mushrooms. The pan’s even heat distribution enables all the mushrooms to get brown at the same time and the tough surface means that I can scrape, scrape, scrape all the delicious flavor up without worrying about scratching the pan!
Tonight I used my Le Creuset braiser again to make a favorite, Chef Yotam Ottolenghi’s Saffron Tagliatelle with Spiced Butter.
The Braiser is perfect for making pasta sauces because it’s roomy enough to mix in all your pasta and the heavy lid will keep everything warm until you are ready to serve. On February 2nd, we will also be offering a class inspired by Yotam Ottolenghi called Culinary Adventure: A trip to Jerusalem.
