The Clay Pot
Even though technically I’m a professional chef, I’m often let off the hook in the kitchen. It helps a lot having friends and family who love to cook.
Here’s what I came home to the other night.
Bear found this terrific clay pot at Goodwill to go with his vintage cookbook full of clay pot recipes. It’s very similar to a dutch oven or crockpot, except the clay pot is put into the oven cold. I know, it sounds weird. And a little too 70s fad-ish, at first glance. But now I’m a believer. It’s an awesome and easy way to cook for cold nights like these.
Because the clay is porous, it’s crucial it is thoroughly soaked in water for 30 minutes before the ingredients are added to it.
This recipe was a Bear original- lamb shoulder with fennel, potatoes, onion and squash. The best part is the meat and the veggies cook perfectly together, even though they traditionally cook at different times and temperatures. The moisture retained in the pot keeps everything juicy and tender. Just add a little water or stock to the bottom before you put it in the oven.
It turned out great, don’t you think?
This recipe was a Bear original- lamb shoulder with fennel, potatoes, onion and squash. The best part is the meat and the veggies cook perfectly together, even though they traditionally cook at different times and temperatures. The moisture retained in the pot keeps everything juicy and tender. Just add a little water or stock to the bottom before you put it in the oven. This cooked at 450 for about 45 minutes or so.
It turned out great, don’t you think?
