Cartouche

A cartouche is a parchment paper lid, also known as a false lid, used for covering the surface of a stew, sauce, or soup. It traps steam keeping stewed components submerged in liquid, reduces evaporation, and prevents a skin from forming on the surface of sauces. Start with a square piece of parchment and fold several times into a triangle, cut the triangle length to fit the surface of the pot and you’re all set.