Couple things - old-style phenolic knobs can't be heated above about 375°F, but the new style phenolics (with only the name "Le Creuset" and *without* the concentric "C" logo) and the metal knobs can go up to about 500°F (hot enough to bake bread like a steam oven). Also, as for cleaning very thickly patina'd enameled cast iron, an overnight soak with yellow cap Heavy Duty Easy Off oven cleaner (the kind with sodium hydroxide/lye) will work nothing short of miracles. Don some kitchen gloves, spray oven cleaner all over the pan, wrap it up in a garbage bag and close the top so the cleaner doesn't dry out as it sits. Come back to the next morning and re-don your gloves, then wipe it out with a couple paper towels and give it a good wash with dish soap. The lye in the cleaner will dissolve the baked-on oils, and you'll have a very close facsimile of a factory reset. For extra thick baked-on crud, maybe do two rounds. Just be sure to wear gloves because lye *is* caustic (as anyone who remembers the soapmaking scene in Fight Club can tell you), so you don't want to get it on your e skin, or inhale the fumes.

I just went through that process after finding a clearance induction range and this how i replaced two sets of Revere cookware: Go to Tuesday Morning and/or TJ Maxx Make sure you carry a magnet with you I purchased a TVS 12" ($24.99) and 8" non stick skillet (14.99) TJ Maxx quality Italian cookware Europeans have been using induction for years Berndes Coquere Induction 5-1/2-Quart Stock Pot Tuesday Morning (2/3 off retail) Very Nice! Well built German Cookware. Berndes Coquere Induction 3.15-Quart Sauce Pot Tuesday Morning Well built German Cookware Tramontina 6.5 qt. Enameled Covered Cast Iron Dutch Oven $39 Sams Club (Le Creuset performance without the $$$$$$$$$$$) recommended by Cooks illustrated Le Creuset 3 1/2 Qt. Braiser $149.00 TJ Maxx Worth every penny! Lucked into a Closeout on a complete set (14 Pieces of Cuisinart stainless steel induction cookware) $91 Sam's CLub Induction is definitely a time saver. you can cook with lower heat and it heats the pan very fast. Water Boils in 4 minutes. Hope this helps!

Another here that sears in LC all the time. Maybe, I'm not supposed to but I preheat mine cold, add a bit of oil, & when that's hot I add whatever I'm cooking. I also have a gas range & use my LC on the high output burners at about 2/3rds capacity. I have several LC pans including the 7.25 quart LC 'Le Doufeu' in red & absolutely love it. Just yesterday, I seared a couple pork tenderloins in it before adding green chili & letting it simmer for 6-7 hours. It did a beautiful job of searing. I'm wondering about the electric range...hopefully, somebody will chime in that uses electricity with their results. I sure agree with you though...if it won't brown, it's pretty worthless especially for the price of the stuff. Sorry, you're not in love but I sure understand. /tricia Here is a link that might be useful: LC 'Le Doufeu'

I've made the following recipe for Chicken and Dumplings a couple dozen times in my Le Creuset dutch oven and it turns out fabulous. Don't skip the sherry! Your family will adore you! Be careful of the salt if you don't use low sodium. I use Swanson's low sodium. Also, I never have to add the extra two teaspoons of oil in step one for the second batch of thighs because there is enough fat in the pan. Here is the video if you'd like to watch,...it's from Cook's Illustrated America's test kitchen: http://www.americastestkitchentv.com/cookstv/preview/default.asp?req=1&station=mainChannel&video=s6/chickenanddumplings Don't use low-fat or fat-free milk in this recipe. Start the dumpling dough only when you're ready to top the stew with the dumplings. INGREDIENTS Stew 5 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 4 teaspoons vegetable oil 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick) 4 carrots , peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick 2 ribs celery , sliced 1/4 inch thick 1 large onion , minced 6 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour 1/4 cup dry sherry 4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1/4 cup whole milk 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves 2 bay leaves 1 cup frozen green peas 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves Dumplings 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon table salt 1 cup whole milk 3 tablespoons reserved chicken fat (or unsalted butter) INSTRUCTIONS 1. For the Stew: Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of the chicken and cook until golden on both sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and remove the browned skin. Pour off the chicken fat and reserve. Return the pot to medium-high heat and repeat with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and the remaining chicken. Pour off and reserve any chicken fat. 2. Add the butter to the Dutch oven and melt over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in the flour. Whisk in the sherry, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the broth, milk, thyme, and bay leaves. Nestle the chicken, with any accumulated juices, into the pot. Cover and simmer until the chicken is fully cooked and tender, about 1 hour. 3. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Discard the bay leaves. Allow the sauce to settle for a few minutes, then skim the fat from the surface using a wide spoon. Shred the chicken, discarding the bones, then return it to the stew. 4. For the Dumplings: Stir the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Microwave the milk and fat in a microwave-safe bowl on high until just warm (do not over-heat), about 1 minute. Stir the warmed milk mixture into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon until incorporated and smooth. 5. Return the stew to a simmer, stir in the peas and parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Following the photos below, drop golf-ball-sized dumplings over the top of the stew, about 1/4 inch apart (you should have about 18 dumplings). Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the dumplings have doubled in size, 15 to 18 minutes. Serve. TECHNIQUE Getting it Right: Adding the Dumplings 1. Gather a golf-ball-sized portion of the dumpling batter onto a soup spoon, then push the dumpling onto the stew using a second spoon. 2. Cover the stew with the dumplings, leaving about 1/4 inch between each. 3. When fully cooked, the dumplings will have doubled in size.