Battleship for braising
By Mr. HenryMr. Henry’s notion of holiday cheer comprises eating, drinking, bah and humbug in equal parts. He resists participating in national frenzies like Christmas bargain-hunting, college football rivalries, or presidential primaries. He admits to being a complete devotee, however, of religious music, and in pursuit of it will spend long hours seated on cold cathedral pews.
For the benefit of his faithful readers and in collegial competition with Twistie’s suggestions last week, Mr. Henry here reveals the first installment of items personally used by and personally endorsed by Mrs. Henry herself – high arbiter of practical good sense. You may present these at Christmas fully confident of escaping the whispered ridicule of loved ones.
Twistie’s endorsement of the Le Creuset 5.5 quart enameled iron Dutch oven is not overstated. The Dutch oven Mrs. Henry recommends, however, is the 6.75 quart oval Le Creuset (in flame), a veritable battleship for braising, the superior combat weapon for pulled pork or pot roast, big enough to ensure plenty of leftovers and commandingly beautiful on the table.
Although the round oven yields marvelous roasts and stews and works fine enough for risotto, for his own risotto Mr. Henry prefers something with a shallower lip and a non-stick surface. His uses the Swiss Diamond 4.3 quart sauté pan with transparent ovenproof lid and steam escape valve. Although lightweight, the Swiss Diamond conducts heat reliably. The risotto will cook to crunchy perfection yet not stick. (The trick for risotto, no matter which pan you choose, is to make sure the broth you add is piping hot.)
For sauté pans, there is no finer instrument than the All-Clad non-stick. If you are ambitious enough to attempt a béchamel or other eggy French sauce, however, you may want to spend the vacation money on an All-Clad copper core sauce pan. It holds heat so well that as you add cool ingredients to your sauce its temperature doesn’t drop very far. With this pan you become a magician of the wooden spoon.
November 30th, 2007 at 7:37 pm
I have that exact Dutch over, except that it’s in a deep red color. And I must say, it’s heavenly. A bit on the heavy side, but heavenly nonetheless. What a fantastic gift that would make for some lucky chef!
And I’ll always second any All-Clad recommendations. Golf claps all around.
December 6th, 2007 at 8:59 am
holiday cheer comprises eating, drinking, bah and humbug in equal parts.
Mr Henry, you are about the only person I have read on the interweb and in my local paper who has ever used the word “comprise” correctly. You have earned my undying English major respect.
December 7th, 2007 at 9:43 pm
I love the All-Clad copper core range. It has to be in my top favorites.
December 9th, 2007 at 9:45 pm
Dear class-factotum,
Mr. Henry accepts every compliment for good grammar and usage. In this case, however, he must cite his own Brother Clifford who gleefully once caught Mr. Henry writing “is comprised of.”
Although this expression has begun to become accepted, both you and he are right in decrying it.