where am I?
Cookware for Christmas Lunch
Answer
Dear Nichola
This is not the first time I have been asked to be a personal shopper. The latest edition of the Aga Cook Shop Collection is now available, and is a magazine format catalogue of all the Aga cookware available from your Aga specialist. Cookware is a personal issue and all items in the Aga range are designed to give years of service and it is fun to gradually build up a personal collection that suits your cooking and your lifestyle. Disregard the current Omnia range of cast iron cookware as this is primarily designed for use on conventional cookers, not for your heat storage Aga.
Let`s start with saucepans. If you want them to be able to be washed in a dishwasher, the stainless steel range is the one for you. Alternatively, see the hard anodised range below. In stainless steel, the 3 piece saucepan set (W1145) and the 3 piece casserole set (W1217) make a good starting point. Typical use for your big meal (as well as being endlessly useful for normal cooking of course!) might be using them for:
parboiling potatoes and parsnips ready for roasting
steaming sweet potatoes and carrots to turn into a delicious and attractive purie
reheating spiced red cabbage with apple made the day before
boiling your Brussels sprouts really fast for a vibrant green
making gravy with turkey stock and then keeping it hot
steaming your Christmas pudding
keeping brandy custard hot ready for the pudding
Also strongly recommended would be two 1.5 l stacking shallow saucepans with lids (AG30010). Perfect for heating milk, making sauces, reheating small amounts, etc.
If choosing the hard anodised, I would plump for one set or the other from the saucepan and casserole sets, as not all six pans will fit together in the Simmering Oven. I`d go for the 3 piece saucepan set (W1258) and augment that with two 3.5 l shallow casseroles (AG295). Two of these will sit on top of each other and as well as being great for potatoes and root vegetables, they are big enough for browning meat and then adding ingredients to make casseroles. Their broad bases like those on their shallow stainless steel brothers give extremely rapid boiling for green vegetables such as your Brussels sprouts etc.
Also strongly recommended would be two 1.5 l stacking saucepans with lids (AG287). Perfect for heating milk, making sauces, reheating small amounts, etc.
An Aga kettle is an absolute must, and I particularly like the traditional aluminium or hard anodised aluminium ones (W1804/5; W1806/7), as they boil the fastest in the range and have the attractive classic design. An Aga cast iron trivet (U0112) is useful to keep your kettle on and they are also invaluable for protecting work surfaces from hot trays emerging from the oven. Available in colours to match or contrast your Aga.
Your new Aga comes with a generous set of roasting tins and racks, etc., but it is wise to expand your armoury, especially for Christmas. This would be my choice, particularly with lots of roast potatoes, parsnips, baby chipolatas and bacon rolls etc. in mind:
a second full size roasting tin (enamelled steel to match the first, or hard anodised or plain aluminium)
a second half size roasting tin (enamelled steel to match the first, or hard anodised or plain aluminium)
two full size hard anodised baking trays (roasties etc.) AG233
a Bake-O-Glide Cook Set (contains pre-cut tin linings and saves a lot of washing up: a must) W1493
two Aga gauntlets/stove top mitts/double oven gloves - as preferred
Future items worth considering:
The cast iron ridged grill pan is the best grill pan and grills steaks and chops etc brilliantly (URG28)
The large hard anodised wok gives very efficient heat transfer for stunning stir-frys (AG297)
The new cast aluminium range is also worth considering, particularly the casserole and skillet lid set
A second cold plain shelf is useful to, especially when making successive batches of biscuits and cakes.
The stainless steel stockpot/preserving pan is great for jams and chutneys and for bulk cooking (AG249)
With a 2 oven Aga, if you want to bake large cakes that require more than 45 minutes` cooking at a moderate temperature, an Aga Cake Baker is a great investment (AG236). As well as making an "oven within an oven", it is a 9 pt (5 litre) universal pan that can be routinely used for boiling pasta and rice, making batches of stock, Ragys, Bolognaise sauces, curries and chillies, and doubling up batches of your favourite casserole recipes.
You are making the best decision you can to start off with the correct cookware from day one. You have bought the best cooker in the world - the Aga cookware for many inherent design reasons does work better and you will get excellent results with the minimum of fuss.
Pick up your free copy of my Complete Guide to Aga Christmas Cooking leaflet, with full Aga timings and oven positions, available soon from your local Aga Specialist.
Happy shopping and cooking.
Best wishes
Richard Maggs
THE AGA COOKERY DOCTOR
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Dear Richard, I am about to take delivery of a 2 oven Aga and would like to know the type, number and sizes of pans I should buy in preparation for Christmas lunch for 10 people. Thanks Nichola