Dutch oven: revered vessel now trendy

(Baked cannellini beans is an easy recipe to make in a Dutch oven/Associated Press photo)

My mother's Dutch oven was a humble vessel, pitted and scarred with use. It was a treasured part of a set of Therm-o-Ware she received as a wedding present so many decades ago.

I saved that old pot after she died and rekindled my love of cooking after many years of denying I had any interest in "slaving" over a stove as she did when I was growing up.

Today I am a proud kitchen "slave," more like a kitchen goddess, something to which those who love to cook and hang out in the kitchen can relate.

I used my mother's Dutch oven all through college and beyond, until I realized that cooking in cast aluminum was probably bad for your health.
The vats of tomato sauce I made in that special pot were particularly offensive (although it tasted great), the acidity of the tomatoes a perfect medium for drawing out the toxins within.

So I relegated that revered pot to the basement after my brother and his girlfriend gave me a big, flame-red Le Creuset pot as a house-warming gift. I couldn't bear to completely part with that aluminum pot, but once I started using the new Dutch oven with the French name, there was no turning back.

Today's Busy Cook page in the Journal got me thinking about my mother's Dutch oven, which she used for just about everything, from the sacred pot of tomato sauce to stews, soups and big batches of popcorn. The story, which I had to trim for print, talked about how the new line of pots are all the rage, with lively colors and shapes wooing would-be cooks and seasoned ones alike. The pots run the gamut when it comes to price, from lavish price tags to the more affordable knock-offs.

The recipe on Busy Cook is for Roasted Red Pears, which can handily be made in a Dutch oven. They are served with an apple mixture and a dollop of whipped cream (see photo, right/The Associated Press).

I love using my Dutch oven for anything that requires a nice long simmer. But you can also bake in it.

The recipes and photos compiled by The Associated Press for Oven-Baked Cannellini Beans and Orange Cranberry Rolls sound delicious. I especially like the idea of baking rolls in the Dutch oven.

Break out the big pot, and give these recipes a whirl.

This recipe from Marie Simmons’ “Things Cooks Love” (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2008) is a great excuse to haul out your heavy Dutch oven. Dress these beans with sauteed cherry tomatoes, chopped fresh Italian parsley and pitted Kalamata olives.

Oven-Baked Cannellini Beans

Start to finish: 2 hours 45 minutes, plus overnight soaking (15 minutes active)

Servings: 8

1. 1 pound (about 2 1/2 cups) dried cannellini beans (or other dried white beans)
2. 4 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
3. 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4. 1 small yellow onion, halved
5. 1 bay leaf
6. 2 to 3 cups water or unsalted vegetable broth, or as needed
7. Coarse salt and ground black pepper
   

• Place the beans in a large bowl, then add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
• Alternatively, place the beans in a large saucepan, add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches, then bring to a boil, cover and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the beans stand in the water, covered, for 1 hour.
• Use a colander to drain the beans.
• Heat the oven to 325 F.
• In a medium to large Dutch oven (4 to 8 quarts), combine the beans, garlic, olive oil, onion and bay leaf. Add enough water or broth to cover the beans.
• Cover the pot and bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the beans are tender. Remove from the oven and let stand, covered, for 30 minutes. As the beans cool, they will absorb most of the excess cooking liquid.
• Scoop out and discard the onion halves and bay leaf. Use a mesh strainer to drain and discard any liquid not absorbed by the beans. Season the beans with salt and pepper.
  

Dutch ovens are a versatile tool in the kitchen. In addition to the usual roasts, soups and stews, they also can turn out fantastic baked goods, as in these rolls studded with cranberries and scented with orange zest.

Orange Cranberry Rolls

Start to finish: 3 hours (30 minutes active)

Servings: 16

1. 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
2. 2 cups warm water, divided
3. 7 tablespoons sugar, divided
4. 6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting work surface
5. 2 teaspoons salt
6. 1/4 cup instant nonfat dry milk
7. 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
8. 1 cup dried or frozen cranberries
9. 2 teaspoons orange extract
10. Zest of 2 oranges
    

• In a small bowl, whisk together the yeast, 1 cup of the water and 4 tablespoons of the sugar. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, dry milk and remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar. Add the butter and cranberries, then use a rubber spatula to fold the mixture together. As you mix, pour in the yeast mixture, orange extract and orange zest.
• As you mix the dough, be sure to scrape up any dry flour from the bottom of the bowl. Add the remaining 1 cup of water and mix well. Use wet hands to knead the dough in the bowl until elastic but not sticky, about 10 minutes.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 30 minutes, or until it doubles in size.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead 10 to 15 times. Punch down the dough and divide into 16 balls.
• Place a 12-inch-round Dutch oven over low heat for about 30 seconds. Let the pot get just barely warm to the touch. Do not let the bottom get hot. Remove from the heat. Coat the pot with cooking spray.
• Arrange the balls of dough in the Dutch oven; they will touch. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the rolls double in size and do not readily spring back when poked with finger, at least 1 hour.
• Adjust an oven rack to the lowest position and heat the oven to 350 F.
• Cover the Dutch oven with its lid, then bake the rolls for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to bake until the rolls are browned, about another 15 minutes. Carefully remove the rolls from pot, cool and serve.
  

(Recipe adapted from Vernon Winterton’s “101 Things to do with a Dutch Oven,” Gibbs Smith, 2006)