She loves to cook, and is obsessed with the Sox. He’s famous for his game-day chili, and you can bet he’s rooting for the Cubs on game day. What to get the Mom, Dad or human obsessed with baseball who spends most of their time in the kitchen? We’ve got them.
Introducing Le Creuset® The Limited-Edition MLB™ Signature Series Dutch Oven. Le Creuset and Major League Baseball teamed up to create a knockout new Dutch oven. It’s got the Le Creuset looks you know and adore, plus that heavy-hitter ultra-durable enameled cast iron, and each limited-edition oven features an official MLB logo embossed on the lid. It is stylish, gorgeous, and “Go, team!” all at once. We’ve got your Chicago Cubs fans, New York Yankees aficionados, Los Angeles Dodgers obsessives and Boston Red Sox maniacs all covered.
Don’t worry, these Dutch ovens are exactly the high quality you expect. They’re handcrafted in France and have a generous 7 1/4-qt. capacity ideal for game-day favorites like chili, stew, bubbly casseroles and hearty braises. And did we mention those looks? We reached out to chefs in these four great American cities who are gaga for their home team. Here’s what they love about baseball, ballfield food, and the whole lot of it. (Plus, a killer sausage and peppers recipe from Sox superfan Matt Jennings.)
1. Chicago Cubs
MasterChef, Top Chef, Family Food Fight, three-time James Beard Award nominee… what is there to say about Chicago talent Graham Elliot that hasn’t been said? Oh, right: He loves the Cubs! Though he played “the bench” growing up, he is a baseball obsessive who has thrown out the first pitch at five ballparks and been to 28 out of 30 of them. On game day, he’s eating hot dogs, thanks, and when he’s hosting at home, he “likes to put together fancy versions of the classic ballpark hot dog!” Go, Cubs!
2. New York Yankees
Does Matt Gibson, Senior Executive Chef of Yankee Stadium, play ball? “My first game I gave up a grand slam underneath my legs, and never went back,” he remembers. “My wife has enrolled our 5-year-old son in baseball, and we are surrounded by All-Star baseball players, so we will make sure to set him up for success!” Matt is humbled by the talent of his staff, and works with some “amazing” Dominican cooks. “An overall staff favorite is braised oxtails,” he says. “I try to take as many notes as possible to replicate the depth of flavor they are able to obtain, but seem to always fall short.” (Allow us to help, Matt!) Go, Yankees!
3. Los Angeles Dodgers
“When I go to Dodgers Stadium I HAVE to get a Dodger Dog. I feel like it is required eating.” Ludo Lefebvre may have been born in France, but the superstar has become a huge L.A. fan. “The most memorable game was the World Series Game 2 in 2017 against the Astros. It went 11 innings with seven runs scored in the 10th and 11th innings, and will be a forever memory.” At home, he puts a “French spin on the Dodger Dog concept,” making lentil-poached sausage on baguette with crispy onions. The leftovers lentils become a second meal for the next day or “extra innings!” Go, Dodgers!
4. Boston Red Sox
There’s something about a sausage with peppers that just tastes better at the game. New England chef Matt Jennings of the forthcoming Red Barn Kitchen always gets a sausage from The Sausage Guy on Landsdowne street near Fenway before heading to the Red Sox game. Read on for his slightly refined version. Don’t skip the yellow mustard. Do feel free to play “Sweet Caroline.” Go, Sox!
MJ’s Yawkey Way Sausage & Peppers
Before every game at Fenway Park, I always make sure to stop for a hot, steaming sausage from The Sausage Guy on Lansdowne Street, loaded with peppers and onions. But it’s easy to make this game-day special at home. For my version, I tweak the classic recipe a bit, braising the sausages and vegetables in a combination of beer and broth, to which I add red pepper flakes and whole mustard seeds and a touch of maple syrup until the sausages are succulent and the vegetables are jammy and thick. I pile it all on soft potato rolls and add a generous amount of yellow mustard and a sprinkle of parsley–not traditional, but it adds a bit of brightness to a ballpark favorite. Now if you can find a way to eat it without it dripping all over you, you’re doing better than me!
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
6 to 8 fresh raw sausages of your choice (about 1 1/2 lb./750 g), at room temperature
1 lb. (500 g) baby bell peppers, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced lengthwise
1 large yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
3/4 cup (6 fl. oz./185 ml) mild-flavored beer, such as lager
1 1/2 cups (12 fl. oz./375 ml) vegetable or chicken stock
2 tsp. whole yellow mustard seeds
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. sweet paprika
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. maple syrup
2 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
3 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves picked and stems discarded, coarsely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
6 to 8 sausage buns (I like potato rolls)
Classic yellow mustard for serving
In a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat. warm the olive oil. Add the sausages and cook, turning frequently, until browned on all sides, about 14 minutes. Using tongs, transfer to a plate.
Increase the heat to medium and add the peppers and onion to the pan. Using a wooden spoon, stir the vegetables, scraping up any browned bits that have accumulated on the bottom of the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and are beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.
Add the beer and stock, then add the mustard seeds, paprika, red pepper flakes, bay leaf and maple syrup and stir to combine. Return the sausages and any accumulated juices to the Dutch oven, gently pushing the sausages down so they’re mostly submerged in the liquid. Reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover the pot with the lid and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat to medium and continue to cook at a vigorous simmer until most of the liquid has cooked off and the pepper and onion mixture looks jammy and thick, 10 minutes more. Stir in the thyme and remove from the heat. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
Gently warm the rolls by placing them on the upper shelf of your range to warm, if you have one, in a low oven for 5 minutes, or for 30 seconds in the microwave.
Slice the rolls and spoon some of the pepper and onion mixture into each. Top with a sausage and sprinkle each with parsley. Serve hot, with yellow mustard alongside. Home run! Serves 6 to 8.
