I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a more stunning piece of kitchen equipement as the Le Creuset Doufeu. Seriously – when I took it out of the box, it was art, sitting right there on the stovetop.
You’re probably asking yourself what in the world a doufeu is, and how in the world do you say it? First, let’s start with the pronunciation. A doufeu or Dough-foo is a cast iron French oven made with a special lid specifically designed to baste your food as it cooks.
You see there how the lid is quite large, and has a big “bowl” in the center of it? That bowl is crucial to the Le Creuset genius. The lower part of the pot is like any other Le Creuset you might own – cast iron, covered with enamel, and perfect for searing any of your favorite meats and vegetables.
Where the Doufeu stands apart is in the lid. After you’ve started the cooking process, and you’re simply ready to let everything in the pot simmer, you put the doufeu lid on, and then fill the lid with ice cubes. Yes, ice cubes.