Browned bits on the bottom

I cook in cheap cookery all the time—a pot from a yard sale when I was a broke grad student, a pan brought into my possession from my husband’s bachelor kitchen and so on. But occasionally I invest in something pricey and well-made, and it’s then I realize how crazy I could go with a pile of money in a cook shop.

Take pots and pans by Le Creuset. The cookware that gets a big boost from the manicured hands of Food Network divas is not just pop fluff. I love this stuff, and for the very reasons that said divas espouse—because of the cookware’s ability to brown meats before you braise them.

Using my tried-and-true personal pot roast recipe, along with Alice Waters’ recipe for braised chicken legs found in her wondrous The Art of Simple Food cookbook, I used my Le Creuset roasters this week and the results were even and beautiful. You don’t have to have a pot like this, but it sure is fun, and it’s my recommendation for a serious foodie’s Christmas list. For families, the larger roasters are key—think leftovers.

In the spirit of braising, here’s my take on pot roast. Enjoy, and the secret is lots of salt and pepper on the front end.

One 3-lb chuck roast

About 8 small or 4 large white potatoes, peeled and cubed

3 large carrots, peeled and cut into one-inch pieces

2 yellow onions, peeled and cut into large chunks

3 stalks celery, preferably with leaves, washed, trimmed and cut into one-inch pieces

2 bay leaves

One can beef broth

Cup of red wine

Worcestershire sauce

All purpose flour

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Heat three tablespoons olive oil in flame-proof roaster to medium high. Coat outside of roast generously with all-purpose flour, salt and pepper. When oil is hot, add roast and sear on all sides. Remove. Add wine and beef broth to roaster, and with heat on, scrape up bits from bottom. Return roast, and around it, add potatoes, carrots, onions, celery and bay leaves. Douse top with several shakes of Worcestershire sauce and shake more salt and pepper over everything. Cook for three hours.

For pictures of this and past blogs, click here.