The Non Stick Caldero By IMUSA – Product Review

At IMUSA USA, the cornerstone of our business is pleasing you with excellent and authentic Hispanic kitchenware. We hope you will consider us your guide as you explore the colors, flavors, textures and spices of cooking authentic Hispanic cuisines. We wish you Buen Provecho (aka bon appétit) as you explore our website and our world.

IMUSA has been dubbed the #1 cookware site for Latin/Hispanic cooking accessories and rightfully so!  They have an amazing selection of everything from Pressure Cookers and Tamale Steamers to Bamboo accessories and Wooden Utensils.   This Caldero, similar to a dutch oven, can be used on the stove or in the oven.  Start your favorite dish on the stove, then transfer the entire pan to the oven to finish, or keep warm.

My families favorite type of dish that I use a pot like this for is my rice & beans with chicken.  I learned how to make it from a friend of mine who was born in Puerto Rico.  There are many variations and you can change it up and  flavor it as you wish.  I try to stick to her authentic recipe, but I have had to add a little here and there to keep the kiddos happy…Like adding carrots or corn.

To keep it simple,  basically I just saute onions and garlic with olive oil in the Caldero on the stove until translucent.  Add 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs and brown on each side.  Then add chicken stock, rice and a can of drained black beans ( or I use kidney beans), traditionally the recipe calls for Pigeon Peas (or Gandule Bean). I like them just as well.   Add a tablespoon of Goya seasoning OR Goya sells a seasoning blend (my absolute favorite)  called  Sazon that comes in handy ready to use little packets.  One is good for a dish this size.

If you really want to get authentic, you can create your own Sofrito! Basically a Sofrito is a mix of chopped tomato, green peppers, red peppers (if you wish) , onions, garlic, parsley and cilantro cooked slowed in olive oil until it can be pureed or mixed into a thick substance. You can use a scoop of Sofrito to flavor any dish!   It is a quick and easy way to get all the those flavors without the prep work every time. Sometimes a dish calls for the seasonings, but not the actual veggie ,  so this is great for that!  You can store your Sofrito in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.  Goya sells jars of this  in stores if you want to buy pre-made.

For a Recipe at About.com, just click the picture

(Photo Credit- About.com)

 After you have all of your ingredients in the Caldero, bring to a boil, cover and cook in a 350 degree oven for 30 mins (time may vary) .   When your liquid has evaporated and your rice is fluffy,  your dish is done.  The chicken does not take long to cook and adds great flavor while cooking.   You can also finish this on the stove. Just simply bring to  boil, reduce to simmer or low and let cook.

***IMPORTANT***  

1.   NEVER remove the cover when cooking rice. Rice needs the heat and steam created inside to cook correctly.  DO NOT give in to the urge to stir your rice!

2. The handles on the Caldero will be  EXTREMELY HOT!  DO NOT handle without oven mitts.

The Caldero is not only for Latin cooking, you can also use this for your  favorite soups, stews or any other dish that you would cook in a “dutch oven”  !

For more great recipes and to see all of the wonderful products IMUSA has, please visit their website at IMUSAusa.com

Samantha

Samantha hails from Virginia and is a proud wife to a retired Deputy Sheriff and mother to two amazing little boys named Jack & William. A veteran product reviewer; Samantha has been reviewing products for 8 years and offers high quality product reviews with original photography.