The other day I was talking about which utensils are basic and essential when it comes to equipping a kitchen, and which are also basic to keep in mind when it comes to renewing the utensils you have. You can see the post here .
Once we have covered the basics, we may feel like or, for reasons of time or practicality, need to incorporate other utensils into the kitchen. So this is what today is going to be about: utensils that we would buy in a second round to equip the kitchen.
I think that one of the most essential things to mention is a pressure cooker: everything you do with it could be done in a pot or a casserole or cocotte, but with a pressure cooker you get optimal results in a very short time (and we don't have too many of those, do we?). In addition, food cooked in a short time and with little water as we do in a pressure cooker, retains all its nutritional properties, vitamins and a delicious appearance, especially vegetables. So with a pressure cooker, you really gain a lot!
We all know that pressure cookers are not cheap, but it is worth buying good ones: first, because the best quality ones close better and achieve conditions in which you actually cook faster than with a conventional pressure cooker; and second, because they build up a lot of pressure inside, and that is why it is worth buying a reliable one.
Kuhn Rikon Duromatik Ergo pressure cooker, WMF Perfect Plus set and Fissler pressure cooker
In the shop, we have a wide variety of pressure cookers. We could highlight the classic Duromatic from Kuhn Rikon , or the Perfect Plus set from WMF , which includes two body sizes that work with the same lid. Another one worth checking out is the Fissler , which has the advantage of offering many sizes, even 10L, ideal for making a good amount of broth! You can see all the ones we have in the shop and that we definitely recommend here .
If we continue with other utensils that are very helpful in the kitchen to complement the basic ones, I would recommend having a low cocotte, a saucepan-type cocotte (either made of iron like the one from Le Creuset , or a non-stick one like the one from Bra ): both for risottos and for roasting meat in the oven, or making fish stew or cooking meatballs... a saucepan that is lower than a conventional pot gives a lot of play and you end up using it without a doubt in your day to day life, and in the case of iron you get superior results in flavour and cooking.
Le Creuset Cast Iron Casserole Dish and Non-Stick Saucepan with Lid Bra
If we move into the field of frying pans, of course these are basic and were included in the other day's post... but a type of frying pan that will complement your day to day is a wok: both for cooking vegetables, tofu or salmon in pieces, achieving the fast cooking results that you expect in Asian cuisine, and to take advantage of its high walls to fry avoiding unwanted splashes... the truth is that you end up getting a lot of use out of a wok!
I will not fail to mention today what is essential for me, although I did not mention it because of the basic nature of the other day: a good oven dish! Whether for cannelloni or lasagna, or for baking or roasting a good piece of chicken or lamb in the oven... mmmmhh! A good dish will give you a lot of options, you will cook comfortably in it if you get the size right, it will not absorb any flavour or smell, you will clean it easily and it will last a lifetime!
If you want to see some of the trays that I am most happy with, I must definitely tell you about the one from Emile Henry, made of beautiful and excellent ceramic that I am convinced you will get a lot of use out of; another one that I am in love with is the iron one from Le Creuset (it is like a cocotte, but in the form of a tray with handles); or the less heavy but more delicate alternative because it can scratch are the non-stick ones, in this case I would invite you to see the roasting tray from Le Creuset (this one will not be so useful for baking because of the handles), or the basic and traditional non-stick oven tray , also from Le Creuset. You can see them all in " Oven dishes ".
If you prefer to always roast in a cocotte, then I would recommend that you at least have a ceramic mould , which will be useful for making cakes as well as for serving salads and other meals that you prepare, with a nice presentation on the table. There are some beautiful ones, and both those from Le Creuset and those from Emile Henry have excellent ceramic quality (non-porous, they don't scratch, they don't absorb odours...).
If you still have room for a little something extra, and you're one of those people who likes to share a table with friends and family, a fondue set is a must in your kitchen! It's very versatile, for both savoury and sweet fondues, and allows you to serve a fun lunch or dinner without any difficulty or preparation time!
Savoyarde fondue and tall ceramic mould, both by Emile Henry
Following my list of recommendations, having a paella pan will be interesting if you are one of those who celebrates every Sunday with a paella or a fideuá.
Finally, no good lunch or dinner can be complete without a good wine or champagne, so if you open the bottle with a quality corkscrew, you will give the perfect touch to the table... and it will certainly get your guests talking. I always find it very useful to show off a Screwpull corkscrew!
