Cast Iron Buffet/Shallow Casseroles

Asked by superkeencook. Answered on 18th January 2011

Full question

I would like to buy a lime green cast iron pan like the one featured in Nigella's "Kitchen - heart of the home" book (see recipe for Spring Chicken). Could you tell me the brand, please? Thanks.

Hi Nigella and team, I'm a Dutch watcher of the BBC cooking programs of Nigella. In several Nigella series a saw a beautifull cream white shallow iron email casserole (a little creusset-like but a bit more classy). The food in the casserole looks wonderfull and tasty. I'd like to buy a similar casserole. I wonder if you could possibly tell me ware I can achieve such a beautifull casserole? Thanks, a dutch cook called Marguerite Snijders

Our answer

The cast iron dish used by Nigella is made by Le Creuset. It was known as a "buffet casserole" but Le Creuset are now calling it a "shallow casserole" in the UK and comes in 23cm and 30cm diameter versions - Nigella tends to use the 30cm one. It is known as a 'braiser" in the US. The current range does not include a lime or jade green version but has a turquoise one called "teal" and a variety of other colours. Many cookware and department stores sell them and they can also be bought on-line at:

http://www.ecookshop.co.uk/ecookshop/productlist.asp?designid=creusetcas&m=5&p=C2

http://www.johnlewis.com/Search/Search.aspx?SearchTerm=shallow+casserole#1

In the US they can be bought at Williams-Sonoma, in some stores and on-line:

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/le-creuset-5-quart-braiser_51/

In the Netherlands it is called a "multifunctionele" pan and on Le Creuset's website (below) it seems to come in a standard 24cm size in black and red only, but you may be able to find other colours in specialist cookware stores

http://www.lecreuset.nl/Onze-Producten/Gietijzer/De-braadpannen/Cocotte-Multifonctions-26cm--200l---4pers/