Tuesday, 26th May 2009

How to choose Paella and Crepe Pans, Woks and Tagines

Paella Pans

Paella is a delicious rice based Spanish dish that has huge variations depending on which region (and sometimes which village) you are in. It is commonly made with chicken, seafood or chorizo sausage, with rice as the constant. The pan is similar to a shallow frying pan and is normally made from a untreated mild steel, but they are also available made from squeeze cast recycled aluminium with a tough ceramic titanium non-stick surface, and uncoated stainless steel. The large pan can measure from 34cm diameter to as much as 60cm. As the pan is carried and put directly on the table it should have strong side handles.

Woks

A wok is used for cooking Asian food quickly over a high heat. Traditionally woks had round bottoms and curved sides which spread the heat, making it easy to ‘stir fry’ the food quickly. Nowadays many woks are made with flat bottoms to enable them to be used more easily on Western style cookers. When the food is cooked it can be pushed to one side, leaving the centre of the pan for cooking new ingredients to be added. Woks usually range in diameter from about 28cm to 50cm and are available with either a long side handle or two smaller handles on each side. Traditionally they are made from cast iron which needs ‘seasoning’ before use and occasional attention to prevent rusting, but they can also be made from forged aluminium with a non-stick coating, stainless steel, and the more expensive aluminium with diamond or ceramic reinforced non-stick coating.

Crepe Pans

Crepe pans, or pancake pans, are extremely shallow with sloping sides, designed so that a palette knife can be slid easily under the crepe to turn it over during cooking. If using a pan without a non-stick coating, it is always best to keep it for cooking only crepes; once seasoned there should be no need to wash it.

Tagines

In North Africa stews, called tagines, are simmered in a pot of the same name. This uniquely shaped, thick earthenware dish needs very little liquid added as the conical lid provides a large cool surface on which steam condenses and then drips onto the food. Traditionally used on an open fire, or a bed of charcoal, most tagines have now been modified for use on the hob and glazed for ease of cleaning.