Guinness Stew, Zatar Chicken, and a Calphalon Elite Giveaway

 

The conventional wisdom has always been that if you want a nice sear, you’ll never get one using non-stick cookware. That you can only achieve a great sear in either cast iron or stainless steel.  That may have been true in the past, but I’m here to tell you that times have changed. And I’m showing you two dishes today, a Guinness Beef Stew and a Pan Roasted Chicken with Zatar and Preserved Lemon, both of which were prepared (or started) in Calphalon / Williams-Sonoma new Elite Non-Stick cookware.

“Developed through a unique collaboration between Calphalon and Williams-Sonoma, the Elite cookware collection sets a new standard for nonstick performance. The durable, triple-layer nonstick interior can be used with metal utensils without damaging the nonstick release performance, and the specially textured surface excels for searing foods—two key features that set this collection apart from other nonstick cookware. Made in the USA and exclusively ours, Elite cookware is also PFOA-free and dishwasher safe.”

I know! Non-stick that can be used with metal utensils? Then you can chuck it in the dishwasher?!? Not possible!  But then, our friends at Calphalon sent me this 3-Piece set to play with, before its unveiling to the general public. “Go ahead, Renée – do your worst!” they said.

So, I did.  The first thing I was impressed with, was the heft of these pans. This stuff is substantial – not thin and flimsy like the non-stick cookware you’re familiar with.  I cooked a lot of meals in these pans.

Pan-Roasted Chicken with Zatar and Preserved Lemon

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 pound boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
• 1 pound small red potatoes, cut in half
• ground green peppercorns, to taste
• 1 tsp (or less, to taste) zatar seasoning
• 1/4 of a preserved lemon, pulp scraped out and skin chopped fine + 4 Tbs. juice from the preserved lemon

Preparation:

Heat the Calphalon Elite 3-quart sauté pan over medium-high heat. Go ahead. These new pans are PFOA-free, so there are no worries about fumes from an empty, hot non-stick pan like there used to be in the “olden days”.  Add the tablespoon of olive oil. Not because you have to, but for flavor.

Put the chicken breasts in the pan, “pretty-side down”, and brown till golden. Add the potatoes to the pan. Sprinkle the ground green peppercorns over the chicken and potatoes. Turn the chicken pieces over.  Sprinkle the zatar seasoning over the chicken and potatoes. Add the preserved lemon and the juice.  Cover the pan tightly, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for about 15 minutes.

Divide the potatoes and chicken between two plates and serve.  When the pan cools a bit, chuck it and the lid into the dishwasher.  There’s your clean-up!

 

As with just about all slow-cooker dishes, you need to sear your meat well, in order to fully develop the flavors. I thought beef would be a good test for the 10″ Fry Pan.

Guinness Beef Stew

Ingredients:

• 1 pound stew beef
• 1 pound carrots, cut into chunks
• 1 large yellow onion, cut into chunks
• 1-1/2 pounds small potatoes (or potatoes of your choice, cut into 2″ pieces. These were cuter.)
• 2 bay leaves
• kosher salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 can Guinness Draught Stout
• 1 can’s worth of water

Preparation:

Heat your 10″ Fry Pan over medium-high heat. Add the stew beef to the pan and sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt. Allow the meat to sear well, turning the pieces over with metal tongs, and sear the other side of the meat well.

Put the cut-up vegetables into your slow-cooker (mine’s 6-quart, but 4-quart will be fine). Sprinkle with another hefty pinch of kosher salt, pepper, and add the bay leaves.  Add the seared meat to the pot, pour in the Guinness, fill the empty can with water and add that, as well. Sprinkle the top with paprika.

Put the lid on the slow-cooker and cook on High for about 4 hours, or on Low for about 6 hours.  More cooking time won’t hurt this dish, and you won’t run out of liquid. I promise.

Still skeptical?  You can win this 10″ Elite Non-Stick Fry Pan to check out for yourself! It’s a $150 value and will come to you directly from Calphalon. Remember, you can only buy this or the 3-Piece Set I played with, at Williams-Sonoma,  so here’s your chance to join me on the cutting edge of a new generation of non-stick cookware!

You love Pinterest, don’t you? Of course, you do!  So, here’s what you do:

• Create a new Pinboard on Pinterest. Call it “Flamingo Inspirations” (Call me vain, why don’t you. 😉 )
• Browse around Flamingo Musings and Pin 5 recipes you’d like to try.
• Visit Calphalon.com and check out their recipes. Pin 5 recipes that inspire you.
• Visit Williams-Sonoma online and Pin 5 favorite recipes there.
• Come back here and leave a comment with the URL of your Flamingo Inspiration Pinboard.
• One extra entry for “liking” Flamingo Musings on Facebook and come back here and tell me so in a separate comment. If you already follow FM on Facebook, leave a comment telling me that, too. Why should you be deprived?

That’s it! On Sunday, September 29th, at 9:00 p.m., Eastern time, I’ll choose the winner by random number generator from all of the eligible entries.  Unfortunately, because of shipping issues, this is only open to folks who can take delivery at a U.S. address.

I can’t wait to see all of your awesome Pins!

I was provided with the 3-piece Calphalon Elite Non-Stick set, pictured above, at no cost to me, for the purposes of review. One winner of this giveaway will receive a 10″ Calphalon Elite Non-Stick Fry Pan, as pictured above (value: $150) sent directly from Calphalon.  I received no other compensation. All opinions are, as always, my own. Really? You had doubts?