The real srength of these is long slow cooking, like a slow cooker, but it can do a few things the slow cooker can't. You can sear meat, then add liquid and vegetables, finish the dish in the oven, then serve the dish in the pot itself.

A couple of recipes which would demonstrate these strengths would be gigot de sept heures (a slow cooked leg of lamb) and lapin en gibelotte, a rich rabbit stew. The link is to one version of that; a google search would yield several.

The French use the term "poele" (pronounced pwah-lay) to described this sort of closed casserole cooking. If you have access to "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" (Simone Beck & Julia Child) look up their recipe for Casserole-Roasted Chicken with Tarragon (Poulet Poele a L'Estragon). That recipe alone, IMHO, is worth the price of the cookbook and the French Oven.

But it's not just for fancy cooking. I always use a heavy cast iron pot for chili. And think about how great that would look in your green pot!

Bon appetit....

Arley

Here is a link that might be useful: lapin en gibelotte

It great for roasted veggies:

Preheat oven to 425.

Cut up around 12 new potatoes, and cut up two large onions into large pieces. Toss with extra virgin olive oil, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper. Start cooking it.

Meanwhile, cut up some mushrooms, zucchini, asparagus spears, carrots, and about half a red or orange bell pepper. Toss with olive oil, thyme, oregano, and salt. (No pepper needed).

After potatoes and onions have cooked for 30 minutes, remove from the oven, add what you just cut up, stir, and cook for an additional 25 minutes.

I have been wondering the same thing, JazzyBakerLynn. I have not bought any enameled cast iron (yet) and am still looking for the "reason" to.... Although the Coq-au-Vin pot in the other thread is very cool looking and I do see the reason for that sort of pan there. But then, I've never made Coq-au-Vin.

RE: roasted veg - I assume that is uncovered??

Wouldn't a stoneware baker work just as well for that??? I do similar things with both my Pampered Chef and Emile Henry baking dishs.....

Thanks

Ken

It's been a couple months since I've cooked roasted veggies, and I can't for the life of me remember whether it's covered or not. I think probably, "not". I need to add this notation to my recipe. :)

Stoneware baker? I don't know--I don't have one. But the Staub French oven works great!