Le Creuset cast iron cookware is a kitchen necessity. They're always reliant, the colours are constantly on trend, and it's a workhorse in the kitchen. Our trusty casserole dishes are so reliable, and we use ours all year-round, no matter the season!
But did you know that they're even more useful than originally thought?
We spoke to Ali Haigh, Home Economist at Le Creuset, who opened our eyes to a whole new way of working with the fan favourite cookware brand. "They shouldn't really be called casserole dishes," she began — and we 100% agree.
Ali effortlessly showed us an array of dishes that had been prepared with Le Creuset cookware — lids became cake stands and serving platters for pastries, casserole dishes became dessert bowls, and a whole roast dinner came, beautifully cooked, out of one big pot.
5 surprising ways to use your Le Creuset casserole dish
Roast a whole joint of meat
"Roasting a joint of meat in your Le Creuset Casserole is something many owners may not think of doing," Ali told us.
"You can add all your trimmings or vegetables around the outside allowing them to soak up all the flavour from the meat, while avoiding the need to use extra pots and pans. It’s also a great way to save energy!"
For those of us without much oven space, this is a game-changer.
Bake a loaf of bread or cake
While Le Creuset has designed its own bread oven for those who like to bake regularly, your casserole dish can also do a pretty good job of it, too.
"You can use your casserole to make a loaf of bread from beginning to end, alongside other dough-based recipes," Ali says. "Your Le Creuset Casserole is a great place to proof and cook your dough. The smooth sand enamel provides an easy release during baking, leaving with you a rustic loaf with a delicate, crisp crust and a fluffy interior. All while saving on the washing up."
Use the lid as a serving platter
Simply unscrew the handle (yes, you can unscrew the handle!) so that the lid lies flat on the table, and "just make sure there’s no liquid in whatever you’re serving as it’ll run through the small hole," Ali advised.
"If you are after more of a cake stand style, leave the knob on and it’ll sit higher when served on a table, giving you a beautiful piece of cookware and serveware."
Or as cookware in its own right
"Our lids not only double up as serving dishes, but as cookware itself, Ali explains. Quiches and pies work fabulously in your Cast Iron lid and there’s no need to blind bake your pastry, saving you time. Plus, it will lift right out with no sticking, due to the durable sand enamel."
Le Creuset is known for its durable, hardwearing materials: sand enamel provides the interior of your cookware with its non-stick properties, and helps to prevent it from absorbing any stains or odours. As it's a type of glass, it's also much easier to clean.
Ali demonstrated this technique by using a lid to bake stollen shaped like cinnamon buns — it effectively becomes a baking tray. Simply unscrew the knob so you've got a flat surface, flip it over, pop in the dough shapes and put it into the oven.
Serve frozen desserts
It has never occurred to us that you could put your Le Creuset casserole dish into the freezer, but we're not alone, as Ali told us.
Thanks to the durability of the materials Le Creuset has carefully chosen and the craftsmanship involved in the process, both its cast iron and stoneware is safe to be frozen — just don't put a frozen dish into a pre-heated oven.
Instead "place the frozen dish in a cold oven and set the temperature, allowing the dish and oven to heat up together," Le Creuset advises. "Before serving always check that the centre of the food is completely and uniformly hot."
Storage & Decorational
As a fun tablescape (and if you're blessed to have multiple casserole dishes of Le Creuset in your kitchen), we've seen some gorgeous flower displays being set up on the dining table as a centrepiece to a dinner party and now we can't stop thinking about filling our Volcanic casserole pot with beautiful dahlias and greenery.
Ali also reminded us to save the packaging your new pot comes in because it's designed to help with storage: "Keep the clips that come with the product when purchased, it is a great hack for stacking your cookware. These enable you to efficiently store them by placing the lid upside down and stacking your pot on the lid, while also keeping them protected."
Don't forget you can also customise your casserole dishes to better match your kitchen, with alternative shapes and coloured handles available to swap out the traditional silver finish to copper or gold, or even a gold star or silver heart.
Le Creuset Cast Iron Round Casserole in 18cm Volcanic
Le Creuset Cast Iron Round Casserole in 20cm Deep Teal
Le Creuset Cast Iron Round Casserole in 24cm Shell Pink
Le Creuset Cast Iron Shallow Casserole in 26cm Sea Salt
