Hi there,

I am a big fan of enameled cast iron, and have not had issues cooking fish or eggs in mine. If something sticks, you can add a little fat or liquid (broth, beer, pickle juice, ad infinitum) to help loosen the stubborn item, it doesn’t take a whole lot. I like using a sizeable spatula with a pat of butter atop it and gently work the spatula under whatever is stuck as the butter melts under the food itself.

Things stick in your pan because there’s not enough fat to keep it moist. You’re essentially frying things when you use a pan, so having enough oil is essential to prevent burnt sticking food. With enough fat in the pan, you should be able to glide a fried egg around the pan with ease.

Enamel cast iron pans are excellent for deglazing as well, which’ll make cleaning them even more simple and the byproduct makes for a delicious sauce that’ll punch your meal quality up tenfold. Honestly you should deglaze everytime you cook,

Enamel stains as you use it but it’s pretty easy to clean with Barkeeper’s Friend (either the powder or gel work, though the powder will last you an eternity longer than the gel). Outside that, the exact cleaning method you stated works.

I hope this helps in your quest, happy hunting!

This 100%. Shakshuka is a beautiful and versatile dish. I love throwing whatever I can think of into it.

I’ve made it spicy with kimchi, adobo sauce, any hot sauce (truff is my favorite atm), etc.

I’ve used whatever cheese is in the fridge that week (Brie, manchego, gouda, etc). it’s even better if you pair cream cheese chunks with whatever cheese you use.

Mix up whatever spices you want with it, or make it as simple as possible.

Shakshuka is great with Naan, toast of any kind (olive bread is my fav), hawaiian rolls, etc. Anything you can use to clean the bowl works well, you’re going to want to!

Surfskating looks like tons of fun, I’d love to give it a shot. Would you have any recommendations on gear & research for anyone looking to get into it?