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My Dutch oven is one of my most valuable sum totals in the kitchen. I use it all year long, more or less more in the colder months. With my Dutch oven I prepare soups, stews, risottos and even bread. Of all the cookware in my kitchen this is the one I use closely each day. I have assorted Dutch ovens (of dissimilar dimensions, colors and manufacturers) and not so long ago I purchased a new Le Creuset Dutch oven (7-1/4 quart) and I made assorted dishes so far. Here is a list of my top 5 Le Creuset Dutch oven dishes. All these dishes require slow cooking on a medium to low heat setting. Here they are:

1. The No-Knead Bread: I’m utterly delighted by this bread recipe. It’s very easy to make and you get a loaf of light bread with a crusty crust. This is a hands-off recipe so your kitchen won’t get messy afterwards. You just mix 3 cups of all-purpose or bread flour, galore instant yeast, a great deal of salt and warm water (1 ½ cup). You mix it and leave it to rest for a while (12 to 18 hours). When the resting is over sprinkle with flour and fold the ends of the dough toward the center, leave it to rest for an hour and then place it in your Dutch oven, that you antecedently have heated in your oven at 450 F. Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on, and then uncover it and bake for another 15 – 30 minutes. And here is your fresh baked bread.

2. Minestrone: the minestrone or vegetable soup is one of my bestloved light dishes. It’s a great all year long dish because, depending on the fresh vegetables available on your local market, you may make a winter or summer vegetable soup. In my summer minestrone I use fresh carrots, peas, tomatoes, corn, spinach, green beans and cauliflower. My winter variation is heavier. I use again carrots, potatoes, beans, celery, leek or cabbage. Even altho I prefer fresh vegetables I on occasion use the frozen ones. The minestrone is outstanding when you are on a diet because it’s low calories. I add a lot of olive oil when the minestrone is already cooked for a heap of further and added taste.

3. Stuffed artichokes: This is a outstanding summer dish and it’s a great appetizer. This is a very easy recipe you just have to mix a cup of bread crumbs (not fresh but dry), chopped garlic and parsley, olive oil and parmesan cheese. Stuff the artichokes with the mixture. Before you do this cut of the artichoke’s pointed tops of the leaves and the stems. Place the stuffed artichokes in the Dutch oven and add sufficient water to cover the artichokes halfway. This recipe requires a higher heat setting in the beginning before you fetch to boil the artichokes, then lower the heat and cook for one hour. I use the same mixture for stuffing tomatoes as well (just cut the tomatoes in half, take the seed out and add the stuffing).

4. Lentils and bean soup: This is a great winter dish that will warm you on the cold days. This is one of my bestloved soups. You just cook the lentils and beans with smoked meat and celery. You may add a whole potato for density and a carrot for further and added taste (and color). Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with chopped parsley when it’s over and you may add some olive oil as well. The Dutch ovens are idealisti for making lentil soups because they use medium or low temperatures, preventing the lentils from overcooking.

5. Spinach risotto: this is unquestionably one of my all time favorites. I ordinarily make it using fresh spinach but you may use the frozen one as well. I use the following ingredients: butter, pancetta, onion, garlic, Arborio rice, spinach, Parmesan cheese, white wine and chicken stock. You warm the butter and fry 1/ cup of chopped onions. When the onions are golden add 1/4 lb. smoked pancetta, fry it for a while (without burning it) and add a cup of rice. Afterwards add the wine, let it evaporate and then add 1/4 chopped fresh spinach and the chicken stock, salt and pepper to taste. At the end add the Parmesan cheese. You may sprinkle numerous more cheese on the served risotto.

Oven Lid Photo

Oven Lid Picture

Oven Lid Image

Most helpful customer reviews

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful.
One more gadget but worth it.
By JimQPublic
They could give away dutch ovens if everyone would promise to buy all the accessories. At first I made do with a hooked piece of wire but after dropping ashes in the pot and almost burning myself a few times I got the lid lifter. It’s actually quite useful.

You can leave it on the lid and it stays in place. The handle is long enough that the heat doesn’t seem to travel up and make it too hot to hold. The “wings” adjacent to the hook brace on the lid so when you pick the lid up it doesn’t wobble or tilt (which is when the ashes would drop on your food!).

The hook also works well to grab the scalding hot bail of the Dutch Oven to carry or reposition the whole oven. For even cooking the standard practice is to rotate the oven one way and the lid the other way every once in a while- that way any hot spots from the coals will spread around. This tool lets you safely do both. Also you don’t really have to lift the lid to rotate it- which would let heat out.

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful.
Don’t buy a Dutch Oven without one
By Melissa Frederick
I made the big mistake of getting a Dutch Oven and not ordering this at the same time. Pliers don’t work, gloves don’t work, a fireplace poker doesn’t work. The lid lifter makes removing the lid to check on your food a simple, stable and ash-free process. Don’t make the same mistake I did. When you buy your Dutch Oven, buy the lid lifter.

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful.
Poor design considering alternatives for the same price
By JK
These one-piece lid lifters are prone to dumping ash in the food. They’re better than nothing, but don’t grip the lid tighly.

They don’t grip the lid firmly like the good lifters (with the three legs and the hook operated by gripping the handle). The good lid lifters retail for about the same price as this lifter. There’s no reason to buy this design. They will will put a huge smile on your face the first time you discover you don’t have to do any kind of balancing act.

I’ve been looking on Amazon, but for some odd reason it looks like they don’t carry the good lid lifters, which are available at any outdoors store that carries dutch ovens. Please Amazon, offer the three-leg+hook lifters, sometimes called “deluxe” lifters!

See all 42 customer reviews…