For several years now we have been using mainly ceramic baking dishes and pots in our family restaurant serving Russian cuisine. If you choose a trusted manufacturer and high-quality, inexpensive cookware, it will serve without changes for a very long time. Submerging the pan in cold water is actually a very good method for meat casseroles and meatloafs. The main thing is to dry it after the procedure and let it sit for 5 minutes so that it reaches room temperature, otherwise a temperature jump will occur in the oven and the ceramics will be damaged.

Excellent article - everything is clear, clear, to the point and explained in detail. I still can’t find suitable baking dishes in online stores. I can't choose between aluminum and ceramics. But still, I have a few questions regarding the article: can a ceramic baking dish, in principle, be put in the oven? Won't it crack? I'm looking forward to your answer!

Company Zepter He regularly organizes master classes in his office and prepares various interesting dishes in branded dishes. But once every couple of months, professionals - chefs, culinary bloggers, food specialists - are invited to master classes. I attended one of these events in a very stellar company. We will prepare pumpkin cream soup and fish, and at the same time test the famous Zepter cookware for quality and ease of preparation. I promise a lot of delicious illustrations and, of course, recipes!

At the master class, the participants were divided into three teams - men's, women's and mixed. I also got mixed up with the model and fitness trainer. Then I didn’t know anything about them except their names. The teams were given ingredients to prepare fish and soup, instructions that no one really followed, and the opportunity to be creative.

We immediately went to fry the fish... well, how to fry, we put the fish in the Zepter pan, set the desired temperature and forgot. No oil was used.

We put pumpkin sticks with onions in another pan, this is what we call cooking. Just put it in! After holding it for a while, we poured some water into the pan (according to the classic recipe, this is vegetable broth) and closed the vessel with a special pressure cooker lid, on which we set the temperature level and the timer.

I had to struggle with the pressure cooker; I couldn’t master the serious technique the first time.

I helped my team in everything I could. He was mainly involved in cutting, giving advice and filming the cooking process at all four tables.

The men's team worked like men, regardless of any recipes and conventions, the spirit of creativity and freedom soared here

At first, the sweetest female team pretended that they couldn’t do anything. But it soon became clear that this was a tactical move...

Beautiful girls cooking, how I love it!

And this is our sweetest presenter, she knows everything about the company’s products and is an excellent cook.

Soon it was time to remove the fish, it was ready. It turned out that without oil, food still sticks to the bottom of the pan, but this does not affect the dishes in any way - the burnt parts come off very easily and are washed. But you can still add a little oil, not for heat transfer, but for good “adhesion” to the surface.

Our pumpkin was also already ready, we were cautious about getting rid of the steam. Nobody knew how it would be))

I also had to make homemade mayonnaise as a sauce for the cooked fish. Everything is simple here - lemon, butter, eggs, mustard, salt and pepper - all with a blender.

The pumpkin with onions in the pan was also processed in a blender. Then cream was poured in and salt and crushed roasted pumpkin seeds were added. And we cooked it a little more.

One of the company’s employees is very happy with what we do with food))

Meanwhile, everything was ready for the fish. Serving began. One of the dishes was served with mayonnaise, in another version it was offered only as a sauce separately.

And it was the boys who were the first to complete the task. Their food turned out to be “masculine”. The soup had a strong taste of cream, and the mayonnaise turned out green due to the addition of greens.

Our team finished cooking second, the third were the girls who worked their magic on the table setting.

Our fish

This is what our culinary masterpieces ended up looking like. Despite the fact that we were limited in ingredients, all the dishes turned out very different - both in appearance and taste. The main thing is that everything was very tasty, for all teams!

But our fish and soup caused the most enthusiastic exclamations. It was, as I heard at one of the culinary master classes - “orgazmic!” The fish was baked just perfectly!

The girls delight the eye....with their food))

I admit, when it all started, I thought we would burn the fish and create an inedible slurry. But I really don’t know what happened, everything turned out very beautiful and tasty! It was also very fun and interesting. And my neighbor on the cutting board turned out to be

Why are pots so attractive? There are situations that are familiar to any housewife: the kitchen is filled with bowls, pots, pans, you have to run from the table to the stove, turn something over, add wine somewhere, while whisking something. There's a roasted smell coming out of the oven - it's time to baste the meat. And in the evening, when the guests leave or the household go to their corners, there will be a mountain of unwashed dishes left. But if you cook the main dish in a pot, then how much effort and time can be saved for your corner. You just need to put all the ingredients in a pot in advance, put it in the oven, and when everyone sits down at the table, just remember to turn it on. And you will spend a minimum of time washing pots.

Whatever you decide to do, the result will exceed all your expectations. Why?
Because: cooking time (softness of meat/poultry/fish is guaranteed), abundance of ingredients (interesting and rich taste), unique presentation.

General principles for cooking recipes in pots in the oven
* Products are added simultaneously with spices and seasonings, sauce and water. The “ripening” of all ingredients should be approximately the same. If, say, the meat needs more cooking time than the vegetables included in the dish, it is pre-fried and brought to half-cooked. In any case, the meat in the pots turns out very tender and juicy.
* You can cook anything in pots: first courses, fish, meat, poultry, offal, dumplings, vegetables, cereals, desserts. Even ordinary potatoes in pots turn out amazingly tasty.
*The advantage of cooking dishes in pots is their “unpretentiousness” - everything that is in the refrigerator and in household supplies can easily be put into a ceramic pot. Using traditional recipes, imagining and adding something new each time, it is not difficult to diversify the daily menu, giving it a unique individual style.
* An equally important component of the cooking process in pots is the ease and speed of culinary processing of products. The ingredients just need to be put in a pot and put in the oven.

The benefits of dishes cooked in pots in the oven
The dishes we cook in pots have a unique taste and aroma. Their benefits can be compared to steamed dishes, since they retain all the nutritional properties of the food. Ceramic cookware in which dishes are prepared has a lot of technological advantages: it carefully preserves the taste of food, does not transfer harmful substances and impurities into the food, and has much more capabilities than glass or metal cookware.
Usually in pots you get something between the first and second course, with a sufficient amount of liquid. That is why, by serving one pot per serving, you don’t have to worry about preparing other dishes - it’s nutritious and high in calories.

TAKE NOTE
A FEW RULES ON HOW TO COOK CORRECTLY ACCORDING TO RECIPES IN POTS:
1. To cook, place the pot with its contents only in a cold oven and only then turn on the heat. Otherwise, the pot may crack.
2. The pot is intended for cooking in the oven or stove only.
3. A large pot should not be placed too high in the oven, otherwise it will touch the heating contacts.
4. Cover the pot with a layer of dough or a clay lid.
5. During cooking, you must carefully monitor the amount of liquid in the pot. If it is not enough, then you can only add hot broth or water.
6. If you are preparing very aromatic dishes, for example with garlic, cover the pot with baking paper, so it will not become saturated with the smell, which is difficult to remove.
7. If the dish in a pot turns out to be a bit dry and you need to add liquid, it is better to use broth or wine, which, after evaporating the alcohol, will give the sauce a pleasant flavor.
8. You should add liquid into the pot little by little, since the food releases juice during cooking and the amount of liquid may be excessive and begin to splash out of the pot.
9. Cooking in a pot does not require additional use of fats. Certain types of oil (olive, sesame), added for taste and aroma, should be added to the dish in small quantities.
10. Remove the pots from the oven 5-10 minutes before the end of cooking.
11. A pot that has been removed from a hot oven should not be placed on a cold surface; it is better to lay a towel or place a wooden board.

WHAT IS THE ADVANTAGE OF COOKING IN POTS:
No fat is required for cooking.
You can cook almost everything in pots: from first courses to desserts.
Cooking in pots is very simple - no need to turn or stir anything. I put the pot in the oven at a certain temperature and a certain time and that’s it, you can forget about it and go about your business.
There are situations when in one family someone really likes spicy food with a lot of pepper, but another family member cannot eat such food. Pots solve this problem. It's very simple - add a lot of pepper to one pot, and just a little bit to the other. So you get one dish, but with everyone’s favorite taste.
dishes cooked in pots are very tasty. Food is not boiled in them, but simmered - everything turns out very tasty and retains nutrients.

WE CORRECTLY CARE FOR OUR CLAY ASSISTANTS:
1. Before you start using new pots, you need to fill them with cold water, put them in the oven, turn it on, bring the water to a boil, then turn off the oven and let the water cool. That's it, now our clay pot helpers are ready for use
2. Before loading food into the pot, it must be immersed in cold water for 15 minutes. There is no need to wipe it, put food in a damp pot. Why is that? - Water closes the pores of the pot, and when heated it does not take it away from the food. The food is cooked as if steamed, which is very healthy.
3. Place the pot in a cold or slightly warm oven. Due to a sudden change in temperature (if you put it in an oven already preheated to 200 degrees), the pot may crack.
4. Do not place the pot very high in the oven. Under no circumstances should the lid touch the heating elements.
5. Do not pour liquid (water, broth) to the top - it will definitely run away. The pot should be ¾ full.
6. Before you take the pot out of the oven, think about where you will put it. Do not place the pot on a very cold or wet surface, otherwise it will burst.
7. After using the pot, you need to wash it. But don’t forget: you can’t use a dishwasher or even detergents (the pores of the pot will easily absorb them). Warm water is best. If food has stuck and cannot be easily washed off, then fill the pot with water and add 1 tablespoon of soda. Leave for several hours. After this procedure, the pot can be easily washed. In addition, baking soda will remove food odors. When putting the pot away for storage, make sure it is completely dry and it is best to store them upside down.
8. If you take out the pot and find that after the last use it has not dried completely and mold has formed, then apply a paste made from equal amounts of water and soda to it and rinse it off after 30 minutes. The pot is ready to serve you again.

LET'S SMILE
Ivanushka the Fool arrived in Paris, went to a restaurant, looked at the menu: fried frog legs, baked frog legs, stewed frog legs... and thought: “So this is what they do with them, but I married a fool.”

Depending on the method of cooking, cookware is divided into conventional and ecological. In ordinary food, food is prepared with the addition of water and fat. Such cookware is usually inexpensive, does not have temperature sensors, has a thin bottom and thick walls, and is often equipped with a steam vent on the lid.

Ecological cookware is designed for cooking food without water and fat (it can also be used as regular cookware). The difference between ecological dishes and ordinary ones: a thick bottom (accumulating heat) and a tight-fitting lid with a temperature sensor. The main advantage of cooking food in such dishes is the preservation of vitamins and minerals. This effect becomes possible due to the significantly lower temperature inside the cookware.

Utensils for ecological cooking are offered by companies Zepter, Rosle, Berghoff, Silga, Imperial (Tutti). How to cook dishes in such dishes - Berghoff's recommendations.

Cooking without water

Vegetables consist of 20-80% water; they can be cooked in their own juice, preserving the nutrients.

Peeled, washed and chopped vegetables are placed in a cold pan in layers - the sequence depends on the cooking time.

• Beetroot 1st (bottom layer)
• Carrots - 2
• Parsley -3
• Cabbage - 4
• Onion - 5
• Potatoes - 6
• Zucchini - 7

If the vegetables are not juicy enough, you need to add 1 tbsp. spoons of water. It should be remembered that to obtain perfectly cooked food, the dishes must be filled to 2/3 of the volume (at least 1/2 of the volume).

The pan, filled with food and covered with a lid, is heated on a small burner at medium heat intensity for 3-6 minutes. When the lid of the pan becomes hot to the touch, you need to switch the stove to the lowest heat and leave it in this position until the end of cooking. During cooking, it is not recommended to remove the lid from the cookware, as steam may escape, which, in turn, will disrupt the optimal cooking mode; if this does happen, you need to add 1-2 tbsp. spoons of water.

In 15-20 minutes the dishes reach the required temperature. The stove turns off when the temperature sensor reads 75-80 (if the pan is removed from the stove) or 65-70 (if the pan is not removed from the stove). Cookware without thermal sensors switches off when the first small amount of steam escapes from under the lid. Further cooking is carried out using the heat accumulated by the thermal storage bottom. Without opening the lid, you need to let the dish being prepared sit for another 10-20 minutes until it is completely cooked.

Cooking time

Green beans, peas, broccoli, celery, cauliflower, cabbage, spinach 7-12 minutes

Onions, potatoes, carrots, celery 14-18 minutes

Cooking without fat

1. Heat the frying pan on a large burner at a moderate heat on the stove so that the splashes of water begin to scatter across the bottom of the dish in balls, rather than drying out.

2. Before frying, dry the washed wet meat with a kitchen napkin, place it on the bottom of the dish and press down slightly. Portioned pieces are laid out in a frying pan so that there are gaps of 1.5-2 cm between them: when placed closer, the pan cools down, a crust does not form on the meat, as a result of which it has the appearance and taste of boiled (the crust preserves the juiciness of the meat). Cover the pan with a lid. Do not switch the stove to a lower heat intensity. At first the meat sticks to the bottom, but during the frying process the pores close and it will easily come off on its own.

3. After 4-5 minutes, after the meat is well fried on one side, turn it over to the other side and press again. The meat should stick to the bottom of the pan again. If the meat does not stick to the bottom, it means that low heat was used when frying. Add seasonings according to the recipe, if necessary, and continue cooking, covered, for another 3-3.5 minutes.

4. Turn off the stove and leave the dishes on the burner without opening the lid. Next, cooking is carried out using the heat accumulated by the thermal storage bottom for another 10-20 minutes.

ADVICE. Despite the fact that many people like meat “rare”, i.e. not fully cooked, this is only permissible for beef (roast beef) and lamb. Pork, veal, poultry and fish should not be prepared in this way - they must be thoroughly fried before serving.

Cooking time

Fish fillet 6 minutes

Chicken breasts 12 minutes

Beefsteak 15-25 minutes

Whole chicken 15-25 minutes

Steaming food

Steaming differs favorably from traditional cooking in that the products do not come into contact with boiling water, which means that the vitamins and minerals necessary for the body are not washed out of them.

› Recipe No. 3

How to cook vegetables? Cooking in ceramic dishes.

Ceramic coated cookware is the real heroine of the modern kitchen. The natural properties of clay (environmentally friendly, porous structure, ability to hold temperature for a long time) are successfully complemented by a metal base and processing technologies that make the surface invulnerable to various damages. One of the best examples is pans from the Danish company Scanpan.

The composite coating (a unique “alloy” of ceramics and titanium) does not wear out and, unlike ordinary clay, does not absorb fat and other ingredients from cooked dishes. It is easy to clean, does not break, does not fade - its performance characteristics are superior to any analogues. And most importantly, it provides optimal cooking mode with a small amount of water at low temperatures. In such conditions, the products do not boil, but simmer in their own juice, the dishes turn out to be aromatic and very healthy.

What and how can you cook in ceramic-coated dishes?
Yes, anything, but vegetable dishes turn out especially well in it.

How to cook vegetable stew?

Here are some tips for making the best vegetable stew in modern multi-layer cookware. In a heat-resistant ceramic pan, all components will retain a set of nutrients, vitamins and microelements. The dish will not burn and will turn out very juicy, although only a little water is required.

A distinctive feature of stew is the variability of its ingredients. Vegetarians can use potatoes, onions, carrots, cabbage or cauliflower, tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, peppers, beans, corn, green peas, pumpkin - that is, everything that falls into the category of vegetables. But it’s easy to add chopped meat or minced meat, chopped and fried sausages, and mushrooms to this set. If you exclude potatoes from the composition and replace them with rice, the dish will resemble paella. By experimenting, you will achieve the taste that your family loves.

The only difficulty is to arrange it so that all the ingredients are well stewed and soft. To do this, you need to follow a few basic rules.

Do not add the food all at once, but one at a time, taking into account the cooking time. For example, if your recipe calls for beans (or meat), start with those. Add diced potatoes, pumpkin, onions and carrots when there is about half an hour left of cooking. After another 10 minutes, you can add cabbage, zucchini, and eggplant (if you are using young cabbage, then 2-3 minutes will be enough for it to be ready).

Tomatoes or tomato juice are added only when the other ingredients have been simmered to an edible state. The acid contained in tomatoes prevents the potatoes from softening.

If the recipe contains vegetables that remain hard for a long time and require long-term heat treatment, cook them in advance (not until fully cooked).

A properly prepared stew tastes especially good a few hours after cooking. Thick multi-layer walls do not allow vegetables to cool quickly; they remain warm, exchange juice and aroma, and infuse. That is why it is better to cook them in ceramic dishes, using ordinary, time-tested recipes as a basis. From these, each housewife can create her own version of stew with a unique taste.

Traditional

This is a basic version - a recipe for lean vegetable stew. It must contain potatoes, cabbage and tomato (juice, tomato paste or fresh tomatoes). Optional - onions, carrots, sweet peppers, zucchini or eggplant. Legume lovers can add peas, baked beans or green lentils. All vegetables are fried separately, placed in a large heat-resistant pan and simmered until tender.

Unusual “Autumn Stew”

This dish with an original taste is considered autumn because it is based on a combination of pumpkin and mushrooms. You can buy the necessary ingredients in the spring, so we recommend preparing it during Lent.

For 4 servings you will need pumpkin, fresh mushrooms (about 200 grams each), three medium-sized potatoes, one apple, celery root, onion, two small tomatoes, as well as seasonings: salt and ground pepper.

Cut the onion and celery into cubes, and cut the mushrooms into halves or quarters depending on size. Place them in a Scanpan with high sides and fry in a small amount of vegetable oil.

Cut the potatoes and pumpkin into cubes of equal size and boil in salted water until almost done. Drain the water.

Place the potatoes and pumpkin in the frying pan with the mushrooms, and chop the apple, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over low heat.

When all the ingredients are soft, add thinly sliced ​​tomatoes or a few tablespoons of thick homemade juice with pulp.

The fresh vegetable taste of this dish is perfectly emphasized by sour cream. It should be served separately in a gravy boat, without mixing it with the stew in advance.

You should not experiment with this recipe unless you are a very experienced cook. The ingredients in “Autumn Stew” are carefully selected, the taste is balanced, and pumpkin does not go well with every product. The only thing you can play around with is to replace the apple with a fresh cucumber (or even zucchini). This is best done at the very end of cooking.

However, it is difficult to spoil the taste of vegetables, especially in heat-resistant dishes with a ceramic coating. Cook in Skanpan pans, cook according to our recipes and create your own.

Bon appetit!