
We speak to Food & Wine assistant editor Andee Gosnell about some of her favorite one pot meals to keep you warm this winter.
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Andy Gosnell
Listener support. WNYC Studios.
David Fuerst
You're listening to all of it on wnyc. I'm David Fuerst, in for Alison Stewart. I hope you enjoyed that little dusting of snow we got last night, but maybe not so much the driving wind or the frigid subway platforms. If this weather has your teeth chattering, there is no better way to warm up than with a good hot meal. And if you can do it in one pot, all the better. So now we hear an encore presentation of a discussion I had here on all of it about the best things to cook when it's cold outside. We'll learn about hearty meals that you can make in a single Dutch oven or casserole dish. And we'll talk about how your cooking plans can help you avoid going on an arctic expedition to the grocery store more often than you need to. Food and Wine assistant editor Andy Gosnell was my guest for that conversation. I started by asking her what she finds herself craving when it gets cold.
Andy Gosnell
Yeah, for me, it's all about the soups and the stews and the casseroles. I think anytime in winter, right, you kind of don't want to keep going out to the grocery store. You want to lean on everything that you have in your pantry and maybe pick up like one or two items. So soups and stews and casseroles are really great options to lean on a lot of stuff that you already have, like that half can of breadcrumbs you maybe got over the holidays or a little bit of those bouillon cubes. Maybe you have one or two left from a different meal. Those are perfect for this cold, wintry season.
David Fuerst
Well, a lot of these recipes can be made in Dutch ovens. And last winter you wrote the COVID story on Dutch ovens for Food and Wine. Can you tell us why this particular pot got a cover story?
Andy Gosnell
Yeah. So obviously, you know, when we're choosing a story to put on the COVID of the magazine to be out on newsstands, the first image you see, we really want it to be something that's widely recognizable, something that we can feel like people can really relate to. And for us, when we were talking about this story, we were talking about just the versatility of Dutch ovens. And we all got into a long tangent conversation that probably lasted over an hour about how many different ways people use their Dutch ovens, all the different color Dutch ovens they have, Dutch ovens that they've gotten for Christmas and wedding registries and all this stuff. But I think there are A couple of elements that make a Dutch oven really stand out in terms of general versatility. As you mentioned, David, it's the high sides. I call it like the three musketeers of Dutch oven, like awesomeness, which is that tight fitting lid, the high sides and the heavy bottom cast iron material or usually cast enamel cast iron. So those are really great for heat retention, even cooking and also switching from stove top to oven. So it's really nice if you've got something on the stove and you need to finish off in the oven, you don't have to transfer it anywhere. You can just put that whole oven, put that whole pot back in the oven.
David Fuerst
Heat retention. You mentioned some of the benefits. Are there any particular brands that you should buy or is any Dutch oven a good choice? There's some very expensive ones out there.
Andy Gosnell
Yeah. So when people think of Dutch ovens, probably the names Le Creuset and Staab really come to mind. I have those myself in my personal collections. Our fabulous team did an amazing test which you can find on foodandwine.com of all of the best Dutch ovens really for kind of everyday cooking and really thinking about what are the ways that people are going to use these for us. The Staub 5.5 quart round coquette was one of our favorites for just overall performance. It had really good heat retention. It was great for anything from caramelizing onions to crisping rice. It was very esthetically pleasing and also, you know, has a really great kind of feel to it. Another really great option for us, you know, if you're kind of like, woo, I see those price tags Le Creuset and Saab is we loved the Lodge Dutch oven. So Lodge has a fabulous collection of cast irons and particularly their Dutch oven is on the more affordable side. It does great for everything from searing chicken thighs. Amazingly durable and super budget friendly.
David Fuerst
Well, we talked about some of the hardware. Let's get to some recipes. Let's hear from Pedro joining us from Fort Lee, New Jersey. Welcome to all of it. Do you have a winter weather recipe for us?
Caller
Hi.
Pedro
Yeah, thanks for taking my call. Yeah. Yesterday I was trying to get my kids a little occupied in the library and I saw like this book about recipe like Mexican food and we have kind of an internal joke on tacos. So I wanted to just show them a picture of a taco but then I stumble upon a recipe of a called beef picadillo. And I thought it would be perfect because my wife has bronchitis and she's also has the flu. And I decided to do it. I decided to do it in the house. And it took me like, I don't know, half an hour, maybe 40 minutes all in one pot. And I have to say, man, after my wife took a bite of it, she totally perked up because it has a little bit of chilies in there and she loved it. And it's like now it's like a favorite in the house and the kids love that. And it worked out. It worked out great.
David Fuerst
Pedro, you cooked the cure. Good job.
Pedro
Yes.
David Fuerst
Andy, what about that recipe?
Andy Gosnell
I love that. I mean, anytime that you can make something delicious, hearty that the whole family loves and do less dishes is a win in my book for sure.
David Fuerst
And you know, if you're going to make something, what's your go to? What do you like to make at this time of year? If you're using a single pot?
Andy Gosnell
Yes. So I love dry roasting vegetables. It sounds like, not very interesting, but I promise you it's amazing and it's not something that you can really do in other types of cookware. So basically dry roasting is the idea of roasting something without any oil, without any water. And that sounds like a horrible idea. You know, it sounds like a recipe for burning. But with the Dutch oven specifically, I love to dry pot roast beets. Where you take the beets, you put a line of parchment at the bottom and then you just dry roast them and they get this way of caramelizing and really just soaking in all those concentrated flavors in a way that you can't do by adding water or oil. It's incredible. So I love just trying dry roasting with different types of vegetables and seeing what I can get away with. But definitely those pot roasted beets from the story. And also the recipe's available on our website.
David Fuerst
One of my favorites, we have someone texting in to say stew with dumplings. Great cold weather food. Another one saying the go to cold weather food, Korean rice cakes. You can use any vegetables and meats. A delicious, warm and hearty meal that can be cooked in one pot. Also someone saying for winter I love chili chicken soup and white bean soup. And you know, let's hear about a soup recipe. You were talking about soup as a go to in the winter. And one that you recommend is the chicken tortellini soup with kale.
Andy Gosnell
Yes. This is such a favorite. One, it uses those store bought quick cooking fresh pastas and everybody loves like cheese tortellini. I mean, who doesn't? But two, it's combining two of My favorite things. So you're getting your soup, you're getting your veg in there, and you're also getting a little bit of starch and a starch that's different than maybe just like white beans or potatoes. It's a really fun dish. It has a very light flavor, but you're also getting these, like, hearty notes of like, almost like Nona made it for you. And it comes together really quickly. And it's a fantastic soup that you can also make ahead of time. That's also my favorite part of this season is everything can be frozen, made ahead, reheated. We're making our lives so much easier. While we all try to stay warm.
David Fuerst
You know, try to stay warm. It will be warming up a little bit today. We're going to be up around 30 degrees, I think. So That's a.
Andy Gosnell
That's a big. I'm not meant for this weather.
David Fuerst
It's a big change from what we've been dealing with. We're speaking with Andy Gosnell with Food and Wine, and we're also taking your calls. Let's hear from Edith. Ed Manhattan. Welcome.
Edith
Hi. Well, this isn't a recipe. Sorry. But it is a memory that I'm really clinging to now. I grew up in Vermont and I remember, you know, talk about cold.
David Fuerst
Yeah.
Edith
And I would come home from school freezing, and I open the door to my home and my mother would be on have on the stove, in a cast iron pot, a homemade from scratch pea soup and with ham. And I would just walk freezing and into that wonderful warm scent of homemade pea soup. And it's sort of this wonderful comfort memory.
David Fuerst
Oh, my goodness.
Edith
From something made. Yes.
David Fuerst
Thank you for sharing that. That sounds like absolute comfort. I agree with you. Coming in from the cold to something like that. Thank you so much for sharing that with us. We're getting more texts. I want to read this one. Amanda Razone from Morning Edition. I'm probably going to say this wrong. She's currently eating Dominican sancocho. Let's see. Broth, lots of starches, like potatoes, lots of fatty meats like pork chunks and chicken thigh. Is that a dish you're familiar with?
Andy Gosnell
That is So I grew up in a Filipino household, and we have a dish that's very similar to that. The greatest thing about dishes like that is, again, that starch is making everything thick, but also you're getting all of that concentrated meaty flavor into the broth. Super good. I mean, like, that thing is going to make you feel just like, just.
David Fuerst
Like a hug Just like a hug. Amanda, thank you for sharing that one. I hope I said that correctly. Was I close?
Andy Gosnell
You're close.
David Fuerst
Okay. All right. I was close. Let's see here. Oh, a quick question here. This a question from Brian in Bloomfield, New Jersey. Welcome to all of it.
Pedro
Hi, this is Brian. I have two Diamond Craft Dutch ovens. They're very old. I inherited them from my grandmother and now I'm a grandfather myself. So that's, you know, they're pretty old. I think they're made of aluminum, and I wanted to know if they're one safe to use and if you would recommend using them.
Andy Gosnell
Yes. So aluminum Dutch ovens aren't as popular anymore as they used to be, but there was definitely a time where a lot of people used to go ahead and use them and they're perfectly safe to use. I will say the heat retention on the aluminum is probably not quite as strong as cast iron or enamel cast iron. The way that those materials work, specifically the enamel cast iron, it's really great for even heating. Right. So sometimes if you're using your aluminum Dutch oven, you might find what's called like a hot spot. So you'll have a part of the bottom of the pot that kind of gets a little bit warmer than the other parts. So example, if, like you're searing something, a part of your chicken breast might get cooked a little bit faster than a different part because of those hot spots. So it's still perfectly safe to use. I would say if you are looking for an upgrade, definitely look for those materials like cast iron or enamel cast iron for that super even cook.
David Fuerst
And Andy, a lot of people were asking, again, you mentioned an affordable Dutch oven. Which one was that one?
Andy Gosnell
Yes. So definitely check out Lodge. Lodge has a fabulous array of really affordable Dutch ovens as well as really great reliable cast iron cookware in general. But yeah, that's one of our favorite brands. We also really recommend Cuisinart. Again, just a staple cooking brand that has also really affordable and very reliable Dutch ovens.
David Fuerst
We're talking Dutch ovens, cold weather winter cooking with Andy Gosnell of Food and Wine. And let's hear from Naomi joining us from Brooklyn. Welcome.
Caller
Hi. How are you doing?
Edith
Good.
David Fuerst
Is there a particular cold weather cooking that you really go to?
Caller
Yeah, my winter cooking hack, and actually not just winter, is beef bone broth. As much as I'm trying to reduce my beef intake, I find that bone broth elevates everything. I just kind of use it in place of anything that asks for chicken broth. Or veggie broth because it gives it that kind of extra richness and good fats and yeah, it just gives it like an extra kind of umami flavor.
David Fuerst
And as soon as you started talking about Andy, I saw your, your head.
Andy Gosnell
Nodding there is if you have the time. I that's my favorite weekend project is homemade stocks. Homemade broth, it's something that when I went to cooking school, that was one of the first things we learned. It's a great way to save money. And also the flavor that you get from doing it on your own is just absolute peak. You can find incredible store bought broths and stocks, but there really is something about a homemade broth that's really special.
David Fuerst
John from Fanwood texting in to say go with spaghetti with broccoli rabe and sausage. I use lots of garlic and olive oil and I take the sausages out of the casing.
Andy Gosnell
Love that. I do that a lot myself too. It's really nice when you can take it out of the casing and really kind of crumble the meat on your own. It helps render the fat a little bit more. So especially for something like chorizo, right? You take it out of the casing, you kind of can see that beautiful orange rendering. It's coating all of your veg and aromatics. It's a great way to cook.
David Fuerst
Andy, I want to get to another one of your recipes in the new issue of Food and Wine. You have a section on another great comfort dish, the casserole. And you include some of the classics like baked ziti, tuna noodle. But you also have a bit of a twist with something called the King Ranch casserole. It's a bit like a Tex Mex lasagna. Is that right?
Andy Gosnell
Yes, I, you know, it's so funny. People kind of tend to roll their eyes at casseroles. When people are like, we're having casserole for dinner.
David Fuerst
I'm not rolling my eyes.
Andy Gosnell
I know. I'm like, this is the opportunity of a lifetime to use all of these incredible things. Everybody has their favorites and it's a really nostalgic dish just for a lot of people. The King Ranch is really fun. It exactly as you described. It is basically like a Tex Mex version of lasagna. It's got all this cream and chili pow tomatoes, a little bit of salsa matcha on the top, which is this beautiful dried chili oil from Mexico and then shredded chicken. It's also a great way to incorporate rotisserie shredded chicken. It's a fabulous thing to Pick up from the store. We used to just eat like rotisserie chicken. You know, you grab it from the store and have at it for dinner, which is great. But it's a good opportunity to shred it yourself and use it in this dish and also tons of other ways.
David Fuerst
And we have another question for you here. Someone texting in to say, hi, Andy, any thoughts about the uses and misuses of instant pot and its many imitators versus a traditional Dutch oven? Our Le Creuset has been largely relegated to the shelf. That's a Dutch oven, one of the more expensive brands in favor of the plug in option. But I'm starting to miss the old school aesthetic. Also for dry roasting vegetables. Any thoughts on air fryers? A lot of questions there.
Andy Gosnell
There's a lot of questions there. All right, let's tackle the instant pot versus Dutch oven. Functionally, they have some similar attributions, but I would say the larger benefit of the instant pot is the walk away factor. Right. Dutch oven, certain recipes, you can do that, right? If you have it on really low heat, you're making a soup or something, you can walk away for a little bit and you know, knock on wood, everything should be pretty safe. But the instant pot, you know, the idea is that it's a pressure cooker and you can just put the button, whatever, whatever you're doing, set the timer and then walk away. I would also say to the instant pot really is for cutting down on cook time. But there really is something about the Dutch oven where you're kind of leaving nothing to chance, I think aesthetically wise. And also these have been around since, gosh, like the 17th century. This pot is really tried and true. It may not have as, you know, fancy buttons or fancy functions as an instant pot, but I think there's an element of the Dutch oven where if you really want to make sure that you're exercising control and in a controlled, the most controlled environment for whatever you're cooking, I think the Dutch oven is definitely the way to go in terms of dry roasting vegetables. What was the second part of that question? I want to make sure that I'm getting.
David Fuerst
Oh, my gosh. I have to find the question again. Any thoughts about dry roasting vegetables? Thoughts on air fryers?
Andy Gosnell
Yes, air fryers, ultimate convenience. We have one ourselves. I think for specifically for dry roasting, something like the dry roasted beets, really the Dutch oven, what's helpful is that top lid. So the portion of the Dutch oven that I think people don't really realize is really important to its functionality is the fact that that tight fitting lid also locks in all the moisture and then evenly distributes what effectively becomes steam. When you remove it, it evenly distributes all those moisture droplets back into your food. So not only are you getting something that's like really beautifully seared or roasted, you're also making sure that it's not drying out, which is something that I think if you're doing an air fryer, you're not necessarily getting that circular moisture retention.
David Fuerst
Well, Andy, let's try to take one more call. Let's try to squeeze in another one. Someone's saying. Also, when I was camping, I cooked a key lime pie in a Dutch oven in the fire. To this day, it was the best thing I have ever eaten. But let's take a quick call here. Sarah, call from the Upper west side. Welcome.
Caller
Hi. I'm so happy you're talking about Dutch ovens. I have had mine, I think, since I was 17 years old. It's a German brand, I believe, called Berndes B E R N D E S. And it's probably my longest relationship and I love making cholent in it. No two marriages. But this, this Dutch oven, it's tried and true and stands by me.
David Fuerst
That's amazing. The longest relationship is the Dutch oven.
Andy Gosnell
You know what? I fully support this. If the world goes down, we'll all have our Dutch oven.
David Fuerst
Andy, I want to ask you if we want to find some more information on these recipes. Are these all available@foodandwine.com yes.
Andy Gosnell
So go to foodandwine.com, go ahead and look up any recipes you can actually just search Dutch oven recipes on our site and a bunch of beautiful galleries will come together for anything from weeknight skillet chili to whole roasted chicken. And then you can also please do check out our new February issue on newsstands now for some amazing recipes that you can also make in a Dutch oven.
David Fuerst
That was our conversation with Food and Wine assistant editor Andy Gosnell.
Podcast Summary: All Of It – "Cold Weather Cooking"
Host: David Fuerst (in place of Alison Stewart)
Guest: Andy Gosnell, Assistant Editor at Food and Wine
Release Date: February 21, 2025
Duration: Approximately 20 minutes
Episode Title: Cold Weather Cooking
In the latest episode of All Of It, hosted by David Fuerst in place of Alison Stewart, the conversation centers around the joys and necessities of cooking during the colder months. With advancing winter weather bringing snow, biting winds, and icy subway platforms, the episode explores how a good hot meal can serve as the perfect antidote to chilly days. David introduces Andy Gosnell from Food and Wine as a guest to delve into the art of preparing hearty, one-pot meals that not only warm the body but also minimize trips to the grocery store during harsh weather conditions.
Andy Gosnell opens the discussion by highlighting her personal winter cravings: "Yeah, for me, it's all about the soups and the stews and the casseroles" (01:11). She emphasizes the practicality of one-pot dishes that allow home cooks to utilize pantry staples, reducing the need for frequent grocery runs. This practical approach is particularly beneficial in winter when venturing out can be daunting.
The conversation naturally shifts to the Dutch oven, a versatile piece of cookware ideal for winter cooking. Andy recounts why Dutch ovens were featured on the cover of Food and Wine last winter. She explains that the Dutch oven’s broad appeal lies in its versatility and the emotional connection it fosters among users. "We all got into a long tangent conversation that probably lasted over an hour about how many different ways people use their Dutch ovens" (01:56). Andrew lists the key features that make Dutch ovens invaluable: tight-fitting lids, high sides, and heavy cast iron construction, which collectively ensure excellent heat retention and even cooking. These traits make Dutch ovens perfect for transitioning from stovetop to oven without the need to transfer contents, enhancing convenience and efficiency in the kitchen.
When discussing the best Dutch ovens available, Andy mentions well-known brands like Le Creuset and Staub, both revered for their quality and performance. She shares insights from a Food and Wine team test, highlighting the Staub 5.5 quart Round Cocotte as a top performer for its heat retention and aesthetic appeal (03:22). For budget-conscious listeners, Andy recommends Lodge and Cuisinart as reliable and more affordable alternatives without compromising on functionality. "Lodge has a fabulous collection of cast irons and particularly their Dutch oven is on the more affordable side. It does great for everything from searing chicken thighs. Amazingly durable and super budget-friendly" (03:22).
The episode features a variety of winter-friendly recipes, each designed to be prepared in a single pot, minimizing both cooking time and cleanup.
Beef Picadillo:
Chicken Tortellini Soup with Kale:
King Ranch Casserole:
The episode warmly incorporates stories and recipes from listeners, adding a personal touch to the discussion.
Edith from Manhattan shares a cherished memory of her mother preparing homemade pea soup with ham on cold Vermont days. "I would come home from school freezing, and I open the door to my home and my mother would be on the stove, in a cast iron pot, a homemade from scratch pea soup" (08:11). This memory underscores the emotional comfort that hearty meals can provide during winter.
Amanda Razone from Morning Edition introduces Dominican Sancocho, a rich broth-based stew with potatoes, fatty meats like pork chunks, and chicken thighs. Andy relates this to her own Filipino heritage, noting similarities with familiar dishes that emphasize thickened, flavorful broths enriched with concentrated meaty flavors (09:23-09:48).
Dry Roasting Vegetables: Andy shares her favorite technique of dry roasting vegetables in a Dutch oven, particularly recommending dry-roasted beets. This method involves roasting without oil or water, allowing vegetables to caramelize and concentrate their natural flavors. "You can get this way of caramelizing and really just soaking in all those concentrated flavors in a way that you can't do by adding water or oil" (05:48-06:37). This technique is praised for its ability to enhance the taste and texture of vegetables uniquely suited to the characteristics of a Dutch oven.
Homemade Bone Broth: Naomi from Brooklyn highlights beef bone broth as her winter cooking hack, noting its ability to elevate dishes by adding richness and umami. Andy echoes this sentiment, advocating for the preparation of homemade stocks: "The flavor that you get from doing it on your own is just absolute peak" (12:37-13:05). Homemade bone broth is celebrated for its depth of flavor and nutritional benefits, making it a staple for enhancing winter recipes.
Old vs. New Dutch Ovens:
Listener Brian from Bloomfield, NJ inquires about using vintage Diamond Craft Dutch ovens made of aluminum, inherited from his grandmother. Andy reassures him of their safety but notes the differences in heat retention compared to modern materials like cast iron or enamel cast iron. "The heat retention on the aluminum is probably not quite as strong as cast iron or enamel cast iron" (10:30). She suggests that upgrading to cast iron varieties can enhance cooking performance, particularly for even heat distribution and avoiding hot spots.
Instant Pots vs. Dutch Ovens:
A recurring question addresses the merits of Instant Pots compared to traditional Dutch ovens. Andy acknowledges the convenience factor of Instant Pots, especially for setting timers and reducing cook times. However, she champions the Dutch oven for its aesthetic appeal and the tactile control it offers over the cooking process. "I think there's something about the Dutch oven where you're kind of leaving nothing to chance... it has been around since the 17th century. This pot is really tried and true" (15:19-16:34). While Instant Pots provide efficiency, Dutch ovens offer a timeless cooking experience that many home cooks value.
Air Fryers and Dry Roasting:
When discussing air fryers, Andy commends their convenience but contrasts them with Dutch ovens for specific tasks like dry roasting. She explains that the Dutch oven's tight-fitting lid retains moisture and evenly redistributes it during cooking, ensuring that roasted vegetables do not dry out. "If you're doing an air fryer, you're not necessarily getting that circular moisture retention" (16:42-17:28). This makes Dutch ovens preferable for dishes where moisture retention and flavor concentration are crucial.
The episode emphasizes the importance of community and shared culinary experiences, reflecting the show's mission to engage diverse perspectives in cultural discussions. Listeners like Sarah from the Upper West Side express long-term relationships with their Dutch ovens, illustrating the cookware’s enduring presence in family traditions and personal lives. "It's probably my longest relationship and I love making cholent in it... this Dutch oven, it's tried and true and stands by me" (17:44-18:18). These anecdotes highlight how specific kitchen tools and recipes become integral to personal and cultural identities.
As the episode draws to a close, Andy directs listeners to Food and Wine’s website for more Dutch oven recipes, encouraging experimentation and exploration in winter cooking. "You can search Dutch oven recipes on our site and a bunch of beautiful galleries will come together for anything from weeknight skillet chili to whole roasted chicken" (18:26). Listeners are reminded of the versatility and enduring appeal of Dutch ovens, making them indispensable for hearty, comforting winter meals.
Andy Gosnell on Dutch Oven Features:
"the high sides, the tight fitting lid, and the heavy bottom cast iron material... are really great for heat retention, even cooking and also switching from stovetop to oven." (01:56)
Andy on Affordable Dutch Ovens:
"Lodge has a fabulous collection of cast irons and particularly their Dutch oven is on the more affordable side. It does great for everything from searing chicken thighs." (03:22)
Andy on Dry Roasting Vegetables:
"so basically dry roasting is the idea of roasting something without any oil, without any water... with the Dutch oven specifically, I love to dry pot roast beets." (05:48)
Edith’s Comfort Memory:
"I would open the door to my home and my mother would be on the stove, in a cast iron pot, a homemade from scratch pea soup." (08:11)
Andy on Instant Pots vs Dutch Ovens:
"the Dutch oven is definitely the way to go in terms of dry roasting vegetables. What was the second part of that question?... But I think the Dutch oven is definitely the way to go in terms of dry roasting vegetables." (15:19-16:42)
Andy on Homemade Broth:
"there is something about a homemade broth that's really special." (12:40)
Listeners interested in recreating the discussed recipes can visit FoodAndWine.com and search for Dutch oven recipes. The February issue of Food and Wine is also recommended for a collection of new and inspiring Dutch oven dishes.
This episode of All Of It masterfully blends practical cooking advice with heartfelt stories, underscoring the role of food in providing comfort and community during the winter months. Through Andy Gosnell’s expertise and listener contributions, the episode offers a rich tapestry of winter cooking strategies, making it an invaluable resource for anyone looking to embrace the season’s culinary opportunities.