Last week my friends Camille and Josh hosted a dinner for our good friend Henry who was visiting from England. It was one of those perfect evenings when I look around the table and have a silent smug moment about how great my friends and how lucky I am to have them. I helped with the food, and by helped, all I mean is that I brought over the trusted red pot and another of Lolly’s fail proof recipes. It’s one of those meals that I love because the red pot works its magic without anyone having to run around with last minute sauces.

 

As with the chicken, this can absolutely be made in a regular dutch oven.

 

Red Pot – Part II
Mexican Pulled Beef Tacos

Serves 6 

Ingredients

2lbs organic beef chuck
2 onions
5 cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
1 small can of chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon of cumin
1 chipotle pepper

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350. Generously salt and pepper the meat and place in the red pot
2. Roughly chop the onion and place around the meat
3. Peel the garlic cloves and scatter in the pot
4. Pour water into the pot so it comes 1/4 “ up the sides
5. Mix the tomato paste with the can of tomatoes and the cumin in a bowl and pour over the meat
6. Add the chipotle pepper
7. Cover and cook for 3 hours
8. Remove the meat and shred with two forks
9. While you are shredding the meat, you can reduce the sauce in the pot on the stove top
10. Discard chipotle pepper
11. Return the meat to the pot

Serve with warmed tortillas and Mexican fixings. We had yellow rice and beans, chopped cilantro, cubed avocado and grated cheese along with my highly inauthentic Mexican weakness, sour cream.

 

 

My friend Lolly gives the best presents. I’ll mention something I’ve been searching for in March and somehow she remembers come Christmas and gives me the perfect version of it. I can’t think of a single gift from her that isn’t beloved and used on a regular basis from her painting of my favorite sunset to the pendant I wear almost daily. Up there with the best of them is the affectionately named ‘red pot’ made by Emile Henry (sadly not for sale on Many Kitchens — yet!).

 

I’m not sure I fully understand the science behind the red pot but I think it has something to do with raised ridges on the inside lid creating more condensation. Any scientists out there? Could that be right? Whatever the reason, miraculously everything I’ve ever made in it comes out perfect. If you don’t have one already- I highly recommend it. Foolproof tools in the kitchen can never be underrated.

 

Below is one of the ways Lolly taught me to use the red pot that illustrates its magical properties. My favorite kind of recipe – almost zero prep and a heartwarming dish that feeds me for days.

Red Pot Chicken

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (patted dry with paper towels)
1 red pepper, roughly chopped
2 white onions, roughly chopped
2 medium sized carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
2 leeks, roughly chopped (thoroughly clean, remove external layers and discard green portion)
Fresh rosemary (approximately 3 sprigs-remove after cooking)
Salt and pepper 

 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Place the chicken in the red pot.
3. Salt and pepper the chicken and arrange the vegetables around it.
4. Cook for 2 hours.

 

If you lack your own magic red pot a good dutch oven can substitute but I sadly can’t promise the perfect result. Brown the chicken first and then add 2 cups of stock to the dutch oven. That’s pretty much it! When you lift the lid you will be met with a wonderfully juicy, browned chicken swimming in the tastiest of broths. And that’s without using any liquids or any extra fat – magic!

 

What you do next is up to you. I remove the skin and meat from the bones and put it back in the juices. I then serve with Israeli couscous or just as is. Don’t forget to put the carcass back in the pot after and fill with water and a few more vegetables. Put on the stove and let it boil away until you’ve got perfect stock for risottos, soups etc.