|
|
|
Christmas Recipes: Main Dishes. No.3 of 12 - Smoked Haddock & Spinach Fishcakes
Christmas Recipe Serves: 8
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Calories per serving: 605
Suitable for freezing (after step 4)
Christmas Recipe Ingredients:
* Breadcrumbs, fresh 75 g (3 oz)
* Semi-skimmed milk, 150...
Christmas Recipes: Main Dishes. No.7 of 12 - Garlic Poussins and Kumquats
Christmas recipe Serves: 6
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Calories per serving: 580
Not suitable for freezing
Christmas recipe ingredients:
* poussins, 3, about 700 g (1.5 lb) each
* salt and pepper
* kumquats,...
Culinary Traditions Of South America: Argentina
Argentina is South America's second largest country, snugly situated between the Andes mountain range, the Pacific Ocean, and the South American countries of Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, and Chile. Being situated in such a manner, Argentina is...
Don't Burn It - Roast It!
Despite plenty of evidence to the contrary, I still see recipes that insist you should cook meat at high temperature for the first twenty minutes or so to seal it and then lower the level for the rest of the cooking time.
This has become the...
Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes - One Recipe with Many Variations
There are so many Christmas cookie recipes around but often so little time to bake during the busy holiday season.
The solution? A great tasting basic cookie recipe that quickly and easily turns into such a variety of easy to make Christmas...
Give a Fondue Party
A Fondue Party is ideal for an informal evening with friends.
This popular dish comes from Switzerland where villagers in the mountains had to rely on local produce, like cheese, wine and home baked bread during the long winter month. The name...
How to Teach Your Children to Cook
If you're ready to teach your children how to cook, here are some simple tips for teaching them the basics, and giving them skills that will last them a lifetime!
First of all, think safety. Any child that has to stand on a stool or chair in...
Italian Cuisine: A Trip to the Island of Sardinia
The island of Sardinia perhaps most quickly conjures up the idea of sardines. A small island off of the western coast of Italy, it certainly incorporates seafood in to much of its regional cuisine. However, Sardinia has such a rich and various...
Oatmeal-Apple-Raisin Muffins
These muffins are not only tasty, but they're also a good source of fiber. In recent years, health experts have come to realize that fiber is an important part of a heart-healthy diet. Using Canola oil also increases the health benefits of these...
Tasteful Gift Giving
It's not just fruit any more... food gift baskets now come in every variety, from champagne and truffles to Cajun cooking kits. With such a wide selection, and in every size imaginable, there is sure to be something for everyone. A food gift basket...
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dutch Oven Cooking Basics
Pioneer Cooking
When you think of a cast iron Dutch oven, what comes to your mind? Pioneer cooking? Stews over the open fire?
Of coarse both are true, but they are still very much in use today and as for the Dutch oven, the possibilities are endless.
Dutch ovens can be used for frying, baking, boiling, and steaming as well.
Purchasing Your Dutch Oven
When purchasing your Dutch oven, make sure the lid has a raised ridge. This is to hold your heat source, which will be briquettes.
This will help you to reach the proper temperature needed for whatever cooking you are wanting to do , with the exception of boiling or frying.
In which case you would want all the heat on the bottom.
Heating Fundimentals
If you are planning on baking, you need more heat on the top than on the bottom.
Put one briquette on the bottom for every 3 on the top of the lid.
For preparing stews, use one on the top for every 4 on the bottom. When roasting, put briquettes on the top and bottom evenly.
Best Temperature
To understand the temperature and number of briquettes needed takes a little math.
Each briquette adds about 25 degrees of heat.
A good starting temperature is 350 degrees F.
To figure out how many briquettes to use, take the size of the oven in inches, and subract three to get the number of briquettes for under it, and add three to get the number of briquettes for the top.
Preparing To Cure Your Dutch Oven
Now that you understand the basics of using your Dutch oven you need to prepare or cure your oven before using it.
Some cast iron ovens have a protective
covering which you will need to remove.
You will need to do some scrubbing with a non-abrasive scrubber.
Once the covering is removed, rinse and dry the oven and then let it air dry.
Curing It
To cure your oven, pre-heat your kitchen stove to 350 degrees. Place the Dutch oven on the center rack, with the lid open slightly.
Allow it to heat slowly until it is too hot to handle. Apply a thin layer of salt free cooking oil with a clean cloth to the Dutch oven inside and out.
Place your oven back inside the stove with the lid slightly open. Bake your oven for about an hour.
Repeat
After baking , allow the Dutch oven to cool slowly.
When it is cool enough to handle, repeat the oil again the same as before and bake again.
When cool enough apply a third layer of oil, but this time it is ready for use.
Preparing your Dutch oven in this way prevents rust and makes for much easier cleaning as well
Cleaning
To clean your oven after use, scrape it out, add warm water, without soap, and heat it in the oven until the water is almost boiling.
For any food that sticks a little, use a non-abrasive scrubber.
Protect your Dutch oven again by warming it in the stove, applying a thin coating of oil and letting it cool. Its now ready for storage.
Copyright © 2005 Val Shortt
About Robin: Val and Robin Shortt are experienced campers and own three outdoor websites For more tips like these and to register for their Free newsletter visit Good Night Camping Equipment at http://goodnightcampingequipment.com/CampingLinks.html
|
|
|
|
|
|