Customer Reviews

Le Creuset Red Tomato Casserole 2.25 Qt.

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Pictures don't do justice to the brilliant red of the Le Creuset tomato - it's adorable and very cheerful. It's highly durable, and the interior is incredibly easy to clean!

One reason I always end up reaching for my Le Creuset pans is the formation of "fond" (the little brown bits) which is so impossible to manage when browning meat in a non-stick pan. Le Cresets seem to promote fond creation, and this allows you to make magnificent sauces with what's in the pan once you're done cooking the meat. (That's a definite advantage if you're learning any French cooking.)

These pots are also amazingly flexible - you can take it from the stovetop to the oven with no problems! (Be forewarned, though, that the cute 'stem' of the tomato can only withstand temperatures up to 400 degrees F. But I have yet to have this be a problem.)

There are two small downsides to this particular Le Creuset pan. One of which is common to all Le Creuset enameled cast iron pots - you cannot use these over high stovetop heat, or you risk damaging the beautiful enameled surface. These pots are made for a "slow and steady wins the race" method of cooking, not a quick sear. (Save that for your Lodge cast iron pan.) However, this is not really a handicap - because once you heat this vessel up steadily, it holds the heat for an extraordinary amount of time, and it heats very evenly. It's great - when you take the dish to the table, the contents stay warm throughout the meal!

The second down side of this pot is the lid - the quirky tomato shape, while adorable, causes the lid to only fit snugly in one way. This can be minorly aggrivating when you're in a real rush. (I always put the lid on the wrong way the first time.) This is the only reason for my giving this pot a four-star rating, in lieu of the five stars it would have normally earned.

I purchased this 2-Quart Tomato Casserole about
three months ago and have had time to use and evaluate it.

Wonderful!

We have a magnetic induction cooktop and I have written other
reviews of Le Creuset and All-Clad cookware here at Amazon.com in
regards to the virtues of magnetic induction so I won't repeat
myself -- other than to say that this casserole works great on
a magnetic induction cooktop as well as conventional cooktops.

What is so great about this casserole is that you can use it on
your cooktop as a skillet to brown, then add ingredients and put
it into your oven to bake, then take it straight to the table to
serve! Its tomato shape makes for a very nice presentation on
the table. Cute. :-)

By the way, the picture (at least right now) shows the
knob on the lid to be the normal round shape knob as found on
other Le Creuset cookware. That is _not_ the type of knob that
came with the one that I purchased. Rather, the knob is a three
pronged handle that resembles the part of the vine that connects
to the tomato. Once again, _very_ cute. :-)

Since we have had a number of months now to use a variety of
Le Creuset cookware, there is one item that I'd like to pass
along regarding Le Creuset in general; I have not seen this
mentioned in other reviews. Namely, the lip of the casserole,
sauce pan, etc., and the adjacent lip of the lid are exposed
cast iron. The enamel coating is not applied to these lips.
What this means is that if you leave the lips exposed to water
for a period of time they will rust -- so don't leave them
soaking in your sink! It's very easy to avoid, just keep the
lips dry.

In summary, wonderful cookware. Definitely a 5-star review!

The whimsy of Le Creuset designers continues to delight collectors with this newest addition to Le Creuset's line of specialty pots: the Tomato Casserole, in Red. Like the orange Pumpkin casserole and the red Heart casserole, this pot is a 2-Quart size, which is about right for a "four-person" entrée or a "six-person" side dish. What I like to make in my Le Creuset specialty pots often depends on the occasion. For a quick-and-easy everyday family meal, I might use one for a "mac-and-cheese" or a "tuna-and-noodles" casserole. When the season changes or for a holiday meal, then I would make a fancier dish and tie the theme of the pan to the meal or buffet. For this Tomato Casserole, I would like to use it for a summer supper of penne with "salsa cruda" using vine-ripened tomatoes or a tri-color rotini salad with cherry tomatoes. With Le Creuset pots, one does not have to worry about any kind of acidity reaction because of the inner enamel coating. Also, I love that these pots can be used for a "one-dish" meal and can go from the range top or oven directly to the table.

This piece from Le Creuset is pretty enough to leave out on top of your stove. I use mine constantly, from soup to rice to baked items in oven. Great tip: warm in oven and use to transport/serve food made in a different kettle. Great for keeping mashed potatoes HOT until served. Also, incredibly useful for anyone who prepares and transports meals... keeps food warm -- recipient of your dinner-gift will be thrilled to receive ready-to-eat food. I have owned mine several months and it has never made its way into the cupboard.

This casserole is excellent. I bought this one, and the green pepper, as a set to use when serving salsas and sauces. They look great on the table together. Then I went and gave them their own shelf and they've been so pretty together up there. I get compliments on them EVERY TIME someone new comes into my kitchen - often from regulars who just admire them all the time. I think they are worth the money just for the quality and uniqueness of the product but make no mistake, as darling as they are they are real workhorses when it comes to cooking and serving and a delight to use for host and guest alike.

Both of my pots came with a "stemlike" handle, not the round handle shown in the pic. Check out the yellow pepper to see the handle you'll probably get.

This is my first piece of LeCreuset. I purchased the tomato because for the whimsy. I just plain thought it was darn cute! Now I'm hooked on LeCreuset because of the quality. It is a really heavy pot with a tight fitting lid. The knob shown in the photo is round but the knob on my pot looks spikey, like a stem. At first I thought it would be too small for my 6 person family but it's size is deceptive. It fits perfectly on the stovetop and holds a sidedish for 6 with ease. I can't say enough about this wonderful cookware. I would use this for cooking or serving. It's heavy, stable, holds the heat very well. It's shiny, cute, very red. This is one pot to be admired on a table setting. I look forward to getting another one, maybe the pepper next!

I honestly purchased this one because of the price on these more creative casseroles. This one is lovely, its a very bright red. I chose this one because i thought it would work well for pot lucks or other occasions. This is an extremely heavy pot that can go on the stove on low and medium temperature and in the oven as well. This is a 2 quart casserole dish that seems adequate for most casserole recipes. This dish, I feel, is a great way to get started on this high end line of cookware.

After years of cooking for family and friends, the puzzle was how to make a small pot of soup or stew (or pasta or rice or anything else...)for the two of us. These friendly looking little 2-quart veggie pots from Le Creuset (the tomato, the pumpkin, and the pepper) are just right for 2 people and 2 dishes of left overs --

The seal is tight when the lid is on, the heat is even, and the surface is easy to wash out with just a sponge of soapy water -- or with a regular bath in the dish washer. Best of all, the bottom of the pot is small enough to cook very well on the small burner of the stove -- leaving large burners for tea kettle and humidifier in the winter.

We've used this one so far for Chicken & Rice, Pablano Soup, spaghetti sauce, a cornish hen on veggies, and jambalaya. No stains, no scorches, no cooking away the liquids, and no 5 quarts of extra leftovers.

I have collected ALL of Le Creuset's fruit and vegetable shaped cast iron enameled casseroles. In my 40+ years of cooking these casseroles are at the top of the list for fun, functionality and beauty all rolled up into one. They are beautiful to display on a table or on a kitchen counter and very practical in cooking superb casseroles, soups, stews and other wonderful dishes. The color that they can add to a kitchen brightens every vist there. The exterior and interior enamel coating is very durable and easy to clean. I have cooked a multitude of dishes in these casseroles and have found them to be excellent in heat conduction and preventing "hot spots". The wider and lower shaped casseroles are a little better in spreading the heat.

The warranty against defects of 101 years will certainly last beyond my expected needs but it is nice to know that I have the protection since these are not inexpensive purchases.

The comments of guests served from these casseroles is always positive and never fails to bring a smile to my face. I use them regularly for the family as well.

There is a drawback to these whimsical cookers and that is the rim of both the top and bottom of the casseroles. There is no enamel on these rims and they can rust if not dried immediately after hand washing. They are dishwasher safe but I do recommend that you hand wash and dry immediately. I also recommend that you let them sit out for an hour or so to air dry before storing them.

When wet this casserole can be very slippery and the handles on the bottom and top help in preventing dropping them. Be really careful!

Finally, closely inspect your casserole when it arrives. My first garlic casserole had a two inch crack in the enamel. I did not have to contact Le Crueset since Amazon.com immediately sent a replacement to me and had the defective item picked up at my home at no charge. I commend them for standing behind the products they sell.

I received this tomato pot for my wedding last year, and it has not yet been put into my cupboard. I keep it out on my stove!

I have made rice, potatoes, soup and sauces in it ... all to perfection. It really works and I have no complaints with it. It was actually my favorite gift, looking back. And the one I have used the most.

I plan to collect as many Le Creuset items as I can ... they are beautiful, durable ... and I remember coveting my roommate's when we were in college.

For the reviewer who can't believe people pay $100 for a casserole dish: What about as a nice gift for someone who will treasure it forever?