British tomato season runs until October and there’s nothing quite like the taste and texture of a fresh, juicy tomato on the vine. This wonderfully versatile ingredient can be used in so many tasty dishes, from a simple tomato and mozzarella salad to a tomato quiche or galette, soup, salsa or pasta sauce. Tomatoes are also the ideal ingredient for batch cooking, allowing cooks to whip up a bulk batch of thick tomato sauce that can be chilled or frozen to make sauces and soups at a later date. Perfect for everything from pasta bakes to bolognaise. As well as being a flexible fruit, tomatoes are also one of the healthiest superfoods too. They can lower the risk of strokes and heart disease; help protect against eye degeneration and can even help reduce menopausal symptoms, too. So, make the most of the end of this year’s tomato season and get cooking and serving up tomato dishes beautifully with STAUB’s 25cm Cast Iron Tomato Cocotte.
STAUB’s 25cm Cast Iron Tomato Cocotte embraces a fabulous beefsteak tomato shape in a mouth-watering Cherry colour. Family and friends will love a herby tomato ratatouille or tomato infused rice or salad served up in this beauty. With a large capacity of 2.9 litres, the Cocotte is made from cast iron so it’s suitable for all types of dishes as well as all types of hobs, including induction. It can also be heated to a high temperature in the oven and it retains heat exceptionally well, so casseroles and stews stay hot on the table after serving.
Equally, the cast iron can help to keep what’s inside colder for longer, so the Cocotte is perfect for filling with ice and keeping appetisers, canapes or Bloody Marys cool. Hardwearing and scratch resistant, it can also be used under the grill. The black matte enamelled interior has a rough texture for a micro-grill effect that ensures even cooking and caramelisation without the risk of burning. The juices that collect in the tiny gaps of the surface are extremely concentrated to form the perfect base for a mouth-watering sauce or stock. The irregular-shaped lid meanwhile, helps to form ‘Aroma Rain’ as steam rises and condenses on the underside of the lid to produce droplets that help to infuse the dish even further.
There are so many recipes for tomatoes and they can either be the main ingredient or an accompaniment to meat, fish or vegetables. Cherry tomatoes are ideal for skewers and kebabs or in a small salad; Roma or plum tomatoes are naturally sweet so ideal for sauces and salads; Beefsteaks are large, sturdy and firm enough to hold their own when sliced – perfect for sandwiches and burgers – while Heirloom varieties vary in size and colour so can be used for most dishes. However they are to be used, whether fresh or cooked, STAUB’s Tomato Cocotte is the perfect cookware or serving bowl to ensure this humble fruit is the star of any meal.
The very first cast iron Cocotte designed by Francis Staub was made in the Alsace region in 1974 and the company has since gone on to become the cookware brand of choice for professional cooks and celebrity chefs alike, with culinary giants such as Claude Bosi opting for the unique features that the STAUB name can offer. Its cookware is used by almost half of all Michelin starred chefs in France so it’s easy to see why STAUB is so highly sought after, in both the professional kitchen and at home.
Stockists include uk.zwilling-shop.com and quality retailers such as John Lewis (online only), Selfridges, Bentalls, Fenwick and Borough Kitchen.
STAUB 25cm Cast Iron Tomato Cocotte, Price Guide £249.00