A Dutch oven is an iconic piece of kitchenware, highly prized by all cooks from beginners to professionals. A thick-walled, seasoned cast-iron cooking pot, as to why it’s called a Dutch oven, no one knows for sure. The most popular theory is that the 17th century Dutch were the first to use clay moulds in favour of casting metal in sand, and this enabled smoother finishes for iron cookware. Regardless of its origins, by the 1920s, a well-known French brand (now synonymous with this lidded casserole) was supplying them to French restaurants specifically for cooking their most popular dish, coq au vin. As a Dutch oven can be a costly investment piece, how do you make sure that you put yours hard to work Easy – with this collection of 65 tried-and-tested recipes you can impress with well-known classics from Beef Bourguignon and Slow-cooked Greek Lamb to One-pot Spanish Seafood Stew. But what you can cook in a Dutch oven is not limited to these familiar dishes – you can also prepare home-cooked comforts ranging from Cajun Chicken Gumbo, Mac ‘n’ Cheese, Short Ribs, Carnitas (Mexican Pulled Pork) and Spinach & Cheese Strata, plus discover exciting new recipes to expand your repertoire, including Kale & Squash Lasagne and Sriracha- braised Brisket and even a loaf of Dutch Oven Bread!