Outfitting the Green Kitchen

This time of year, your kitchen likely gets its heaviest use. Parties, family gatherings and stockpiled leftovers give you reason to rethink what's in your kitchen and why. Most of us have too many pieces of equipment that we don't really need but are still missing essential items. Having a well-appointed kitchen can make your life easier and your culinary pursuits more successful.

Pots and Pans

Cast-iron frying pans are perfect for cooking foods like eggs that need gentle heat and for searing vegetables, fish and meats without sticking. The material heats evenly and retains heat well so that foods can be cooked at lower temperatures, saving energy. The best bet is to purchase used cast iron; the surface becomes more non-stick as it ages, and rust spots can easily be cleaned and re-seasoned. We recommend purchasing two skillets: a small one, 6 or 8 inches in diameter, and a large pan, 10 or 12 inches in diameter. If you are unable to locate used cast iron, try Lodge Manufacturing's 10-inch pan ($17.95) and 8-inch skillet ($13.45; www.lodgemfg.com, 423-837-7181).

Lighter than cast iron and less reactive than aluminum, stainless steel is best for a sauté pan, allowing you to pick up the pan and toss the food around as it cooks. Good quality stainless-steel pans are constructed with an aluminum core so that they heat quickly and evenly. The interior of the pan should be fully lined with stainless steel (not a non-stick coating); the exterior can be aluminum or steel. The All-Clad MC2 line is well constructed to last for years (10-inch MC2 fry pan, $89.95; www.broadwaypanhandler.com, 866-COOKWARE).

Enamel-coated cast-iron pots are good for cooking grains, soups, sauces and stews, which require longer cooking times and could potentially burn when cooked in a thin-bottomed pot. We recommend having two sizes (4-1/2 quart and 9 quart). The cast iron prevents burning and the enamel coating is completely non-reactive with food. When purchasing used enamel-coated cast-iron pots, check that the enamel is intact and not chipped, cracked or broken. Le Creuset and Lodge Manufacturing both make enamel-coated cast-iron pots (Lodge 6-quart round Dutch oven, $74.95; Le Creuset 7-1/4-quart round Dutch oven, $234.95; www.cooking.com). Enamel-coated copper pots, new from Chantal, offer the slow cooking and non-stick surface of enamel-coated cast iron but are slightly lighter and have a steel band around the rim that protects the edges of the enamel from chipping (2-quart saucepan with lid, $199.98; www.kitchenclassics.com).