Read Cast Iron Skillet Big Flavors Online
Authors: Sharon Kramis
Cast Iron Skillet Big Flavors (3 page)
COOKING WITH CAST IRON
Cast iron heats very evenly, so you don’t need to cook at high temperatures. Most of the time we use medium heat.
Remember that the handles of cast iron pans get hot, so keep oven mitts close by when using a skillet. Because the pans are heavy, always use two hands (and two oven mitts!) when lifting a hot skillet. Cast iron stays hot long after it has been removed from the heat, so remember to use a trivet when placing your pan on a table or countertop.
When you are ready to cook, heat your skillet over medium heat before adding food to the pan. To test the heat, sprinkle in a few drops of water; when the pan is ready for cooking, the droplets will dance across the pan. Foods are less likely to stick if your pan is very hot.
Don’t store food in a cast iron skillet, because the pan may impart a metallic taste.
Cast iron pans do demand a bit of care, but once you’ve cooked in one, we’re certain you will agree that they are well worth the effort.
our favorite things
In addition to the usual suspects, these are our must-haves in the kitchen:
NON-PERISHABLES
Anchovies or anchovy paste
Arborio rice
Balsamic vinegar
Black bean paste
Black rice wine vinegar
Canned albacore tuna
Chili garlic paste
Chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
Cider vinegar
Coconut milk
Dried fruit: cherries, dates, prunes
Dried mushrooms
Dried or canned beans: black, cannellini, garbanzo, pinto, refried
Dried pasilla peppers
Dried pasta
Dry sherry
Hatch green chiles
Hazelnut oil
Herdez Salsa Verde
Hoisin sauce
Honey
Hot sauce, preferably Crystal brand
Marsala
More Than Gourmet veal demi-glace
Muir Glen fire-roasted tomatoes
Nuts
Olive oil
Oyster sauce
Panko bread crumbs
Pernod
Red wine vinegar
Rice: brown, white
Rice wine vinegar
Sesame oil
Sherry vinegar
Stocks or bouillon cubes: beef, chicken, vegetable
Sweet chili sauce
Truffle oil
Walnut oil
Worcestershire sauce
PERISHABLES
Capers
Chutney
Fish sauce
Gourmet Garden fresh ginger paste, lemongrass paste, and dill herb blend
Miso paste
Mrs. Renfro’s Pickled Jalapeño Peppers
Olives: green and picholine or kalamata
Ponzu sauce (regular or citrus)
Soy sauce
Sriracha sauce
Tamarind paste
Tiger sauce
Wasabi paste
XO sauce
SPICES AND BLENDS
Aleppo pepper
Arabic baharat
Besar
Cardamom
Chinese five-spice blend
Dukkah
Fennel seeds
Furikake
Garam masala (see page 56)
Harissa
Poudre de Colombo
Ras el hanout
Saffron
Shichimi togarashi (“Seven Flavor Chili Pepper”)
Star anise
Syrian zahtar
Urfa biber
Vanilla beans
Smoked Salmon Hash with Tricolored Potatoes
Skillet Quiche with Broccoli, Mushrooms, and Green Onions
Croque Monsieur Meets Croque Madame
Apple French Toast Bread Pudding
Green Chili Soufflé with Dungeness Crab
Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Skillet-Roasted Granola with Candied Pecans, Craisins, and Coconut
Chanterelle and Gruyère Strata with Fresh Thyme
WEDNESDAY NIGHT IS OUR NIGHT TO FIX AN EASY BREAKFAST FOR DINNER. THE
German Apple Pancake served with sausages, or Croque Monsieur Meets Croque Madame, made on crispy sourdough bread, are a nice change from a traditional dinner. Simple, satisfying, and delicious.
Sunday morning family breakfast is a good time to sit down together and recap the week and what’s coming up. Stay in your pajamas and have a second cup of coffee and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice while you anticipate Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake baking in the skillet. Crisp bacon sizzles on top of the stove while a bowl of fresh berries sits on the table. You can spice up breakfast with Papas con Chorizo and Chilaquiles, which are a nice change from bacon and eggs. Eggs of any kind taste better with a dash of your favorite hot sauce.Our family also loves to make the Skillet-Roasted Granola with Candied Pecans, Craisins, and Coconut. It makes a perfect snack, or serve it with a bowl of fresh fruit. On a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, invite a friend over to enjoy a cup of tea and Crumpets.A cast iron skillet and breakfast go hand in hand. Whether it’s pancakes, bacon, sausage, French toast, or hash browns, breakfast from a skillet tastes wonderful and looks so inviting.
smoked salmon hash with tricolored potatoes
Tricolored potatoes—a mixture of red, blue or purple, and yellow varieties—make for a colorful Sunday breakfast dish that goes well with oven-baked crisp bacon and coffee cake. This versatile recipe is open to variations; you can substitute leftover pot roast, corned beef, or chicken for the smoked salmon. If you choose to substitute another meat, chop it into small pieces and add to the skillet with the potatoes.
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
•
In a medium saucepan, cover the potatoes with cold water. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat and cook until potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and cool slightly, then coarsely chop.
•
In a 10- or 12-inch skillet, melt the butter, add the onions, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the olive oil and the chopped potatoes and cook over medium heat until the potatoes are lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add the apple, chilies, and cream. Continue to cook for 5 minutes and remove from heat. Break the salmon into 2-inch pieces and place on top of the potatoes. Sprinkle with parsley, salt, and pepper; top with sour cream and green onions; and serve.
2 pounds small tricolored potatoes or small Red Bliss potatoes
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup chopped yellow onion
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup chopped apple, skin on
