Reader Megan finally bought a Dutch oven, and now she's looking for some good ways to put it to use every day. Can you help?
I finally got a Dutch oven of my own (a Lodge, for what it's worth), but now I'm short on ideas for what to cook in it! I've already made several soups, paella and no-knead bread, but I'd love some other ideas! Many of the recipes I see seem to be really heavy braised meat dishes, which are great for special occasions, but I try to eat a little lighter most of the time, so I'm looking for favorite "everyday" Dutch oven recipes.
Congrats on your new Dutch oven, Megan! We use ours constantly. An easy answer to your question is to just say, hey - use it for everything! Light spring soups, quick vegetable sautés, anything you need to cook on the stovetop. A Dutch oven's heavy weight makes it ideal for cooking almost anything, and usually it will do a better job than a thinner or weaker pan.
Having said that, Dutch ovens are really great for braised spring vegetables! Here are a few ideas for some spring braises that would make great weeknight meals. Just add some rice or bread and have yourself a veggie-based supper.
Also, beans and lentils are a really good way to use your Dutch oven.
Those are just a few ideas to get you started, though. Readers, what sort of light everyday recipes do you like to make with your Dutch oven?
• Wine-Braised Cabbage - One of my all-time favorite recipes. Just a head of cabbage braised in light white wine and served with a snowfall of Parmesan cheese. Sweet, tender, and such a simple spring dinner.
• Greek-Style Braised Green Beans - Another all-time favorite. I am pretty firmly in the camp that believes that green beans should be cooked for a long time for the best flavor and texture. I've been known eat half a batch of these healthy, flavorful green beans for dinner.
• Betsy's Wine-Braised Lentils on Crostini - A runner-up in our Braising Contest.
• Emily's Braised Endive with Prosciutto - Another delicious Braising Contest entry. The winner, in fact!
• Cream-Braised Fennel a la Orangette - Braised fennel! Delicious.
• Spicy Chickpea Stew
Related: Fresh Cooking for Spring: Braise!
(Images: Faith Durand; Lodge)
We use ours for everything too (and even acquired a second one) because enameled cast iron is so easy to clean!
I use it to make pasta sauce, or just saute some vegetables in it and add the pasta into it to toss/coat.
view maggie (p/c)'s profile
My girlfriend uses it more than I do (I'm a crock pot person m'self), but I made up this faux-moroccan dish I really like... Peel & dice some sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, onion, garlic and a can of garbanzo beans and simmer it all in 4 cups of chicken stock (covered) for about 20 minutes with some salt, pepper, cinnamon, thyme and cumin. Separately cook chicken breast or pork tenderloin and shred. When sweet potatoes are tender, remove from heat add 1 cup uncooked couscous and the meat. Stir to ensure the couscous is mixed thoroughly and cover for 5 minutes. It's quite good.
view kestrel127's profile
Don't forget no-knead Dutch oven bread! (Carbs aren't evil, and even all-white homemade bread will lack added chemicals, preservatives, and fats, plus it's easily vegan.)
view lasomnambule's profile
We use the enamel coated stuff a lot in our kitchen. One of the things I was extremely happy to learn was how well it doubled for a bean pot like what my parents used to use when I was little. I love cooking dried beans and then topping them with fresh herbs.
view kmarie's profile
Off the topic, but Lasomnambule - Bought some vegan soughdough, who's ingrdients are only "starter, flour, water, salt" One of the best toasting breads I've ever had. Need to get me some cast iron pots. $4 bucks a loaf is kinda expensive.
view chusmabilly's profile
This is such a great question, one that I've asked myself. I only recently started using a dutch oven, and I am not much of a meat eater. I agree that braised vegetables is a good option, and the only other meals I can think of are light soups and using the oven to roast chicken, which (for me at least) is less intimidating than other meats.
view pennyplastic's profile
I did a really easy weeknight ragout last night - turkey sausage, canellini beans, spinach, basil, oregano, onion/garlic, chicken stock, a couple of handfuls of pasta. Loverly.
view debtex's profile
braised chicken, fish, lentil/bean or veggie-based stews. bean chili.
view saltyc's profile
My pot stays on my stove all the time and I use it constantly to cook pasta, blanch vegetables and make sauce. For a GREAT one pot meal try the Jamie Chicken in Milk found through this site..delicious. Also there are many in expensive one pot cookbooks like :
http://www.amazon.com/Glorious-One-Pot-Meals-Revolutionary-Dutch-Oven/dp/076793010X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239366295&sr=8-1
view den's profile
the lightest and easiest thing to make and I make every other week in my Dutch Oven is the Marcella Hazan's tomato sauce. You use one can of tomato, 3 spoons of butter and half an onion. You don't even have to chop/slice the onion. Just throw everythign together and leave it in the post simmering for 45 minutes and you end up with the most luscious, scrummiest tomato sauce to use with pasta, seafood, fish, meatballs, cous cous... the list is endless.
view mangolisa's profile
Ratatouille would be a good choice for a vegetable oriented dish. Freezes pretty well, too, so you could use your new dutch oven to make a big batch.
view HighSeas's profile
Seeing those green beans reminded me of a simple dish my Mom used to make... A great comfort food for me, and definitely something for that dutch oven.
Boil until tender a whole heap of green beans, small red potatoes and onion. Drain and top with some butter, salt and pepper. So simple and so delicious!
view mspants's profile