I´m getting ready to make a seafood moqueca in our new clay pot. [First I´m gonna make a big Mexican feast for some local friends - this Friday - who do not have a lot of experience with Mexican food - but love it all the same.]
In preparation for the moqueca I needed to season our new clay pot.
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| Soaking in water. |
So first I soaked the clay pot in water for a while. Then I put big chunks of fatty bacon into the pot and slowly simmered the meat to share its fatty deliciousnous with the clay pot - the pot drinking up all the fat.
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| Bacon chunks in a water bath. |
Then I fed the edible bits of the bacon to my husband.
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| Cooked down bacon - ready to eat. |
Finally I wiped out the pot and now consider it ready to cook a nice meal. Stay tuned.
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| Seasoned pot - with the decorated lid on the stove just above it. |
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6 comments:
Okay, you make that look totally unscary. I might have to buy a clay pot or three now!!! Can't wait to read about the moqueca!
Pára de fazer invejinha com esses seus potes, ok ?
Reader - you can buy three sizes of clay pots (rice, pirão, stew)along the side of the road next time you drive up to Macaré for just R$10. Go for it.
It makes PERFECT rice and is a whole new way to cook stews.
Reader - I mean Maricá.
And Anita - I do not mean to tease - just to be happy.
thanks, Jim. Next we are up towards Macae I'll get some. I've seen them on the road but never had a clue how to use them....thanks for the tip!
Reader - the pots are great - you can sauté in them, bake in the oven and boil/stew on the stovetop. Then they look great on your dinner table. (Be sure to get the wire racks needed to rest the pots in when at the table.
Danielle - I think I soaked the pot for about an hour... you want to open up the clay a bit to get it ready to then absorb the bacon oil. By cooking in the bacon oil (or you could rub it with olive oil and bake the pot on a low temperature for an hour or so.) you put a bit of flavorful seal in the clay so it will not steal the flavor from your first few dishes. Over time you will be in good hands. Like a cast iron pan.
Then when you wash the pot - do not use deturgent. Use salt if you need to scrub. Then I put the pot back on the stove over low heat to evaporate the water before returning it to the shelf.
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