Cast Iron Skillet Big Flavors (6 page)
Read Cast Iron Skillet Big Flavors Online
Authors: Sharon Kramis
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
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Preheat the oven to 325°F and butter a 10-inch cast iron skillet.
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To prepare the topping, combine all the ingredients and mix with your fingers until crumbly.
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Using a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue beating until light and fluffy.
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In a medium bowl, mix the milk, sour cream, and vanilla together. In another bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Add the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream-milk mixture to the egg mixture. Fold in the blueberries. Spread the batter in the buttered skillet.
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Sprinkle the topping over the cake and bake for about 45 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
STREUSEL TOPPING
⅔ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
CAKE
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 extra-large eggs
½ cup milk
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups fresh blueberries
With the addition of egg whites, these cornmeal cakes are nice and light. You can have them for breakfast with eggs and bacon or make small cakes and serve as an appetizer with pulled pork and mango salsa.
MAKES 10 TO 12 CAKES
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In a medium bowl, combine the cornmeal and boiling water. Add the melted butter, sugar, and egg and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; mix. Add half of the flour mixture and half of the buttermilk to the cornmeal mixture and stir. Add the remaining flour mixture and buttermilk and stir until just incorporated. With a spatula, carefully fold in the egg whites, retaining as much of the volume as possible.
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Heat a 10- or 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium to medium heat. Add the oil and swirl in the pan. Pour in 2 heaping tablespoons batter to form each cake, cooking about 5 at a time. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side.
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Serve with warm maple syrup or honey butter.
¾ cup finely ground cornmeal
½ cup boiling water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar
1 large egg, beaten
¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup buttermilk or ½ cup milk plus 2 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt
2 egg whites, beaten to soft peaks
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
Maple syrup or honey butter, for topping
This South African dish made with ground beef and egg-bread topping makes for a perfect brunch dish or casual skillet dinner and is unquestionably “comfort food.” We suggest serving it with chutney and a fresh fennel, orange, and watercress salad.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
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Preheat the oven to 375°F.
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In a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat, sauté the butter and onions for several minutes. Add the ground beef and cook until the meat is lightly browned. Add the curry powder, water, and dried apricots. Stir in the water-moistened bread crumbs and flatten slightly with a spoon. Beat the egg with the milk and pour evenly over the meat mixture. Dot with the pieces of butter. Transfer to the oven and bake until the top has a light brown crust, about 35 minutes. Serve warm.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1½ cups chopped yellow onion
½ pound lean ground beef
1 tablespoon curry powder
¼ cup water
½ cup chopped dried apricots
1 cup fresh bread crumbs, moistened with ½ cup water
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
skillet-roasted granola with candied pecans, craisins, and coconut
Granola sprinkled over Greek yogurt is a welcome breakfast on a busy morning: easy to assemble, easy to eat, and so satisfying. The Craisins and candied pecans in our version take it to a level above ordinary granola— making it an elegant gift for the holidays.
MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS
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Preheat the oven to 200°F.
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In a medium bowl, combine the oatmeal, coconut, Craisins, pecans, oil, honey, and cinnamon. Spread evenly in a 12-inch cast iron skillet and roast for 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the salt. Let cool and dry completely before packaging.
3 cups old-fashioned oatmeal (not instant)
½ cup flaked coconut
1 cup Craisins or other sweetened dried cranberries
1 cup candied pecans, chopped
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ cup honey
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
This is just the right ratio of eggs to cream to yield a light golden breakfast favorite.
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
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Beat together the eggs, half-and-half, sugar, and Grand Marnier in a shallow pie pan.
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Warm a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Brush with vegetable oil. Dip each slice of bread quickly in the egg mixture, coating both sides. Cook until nicely browned, about 3 minutes on each side. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with berry syrup.
3 large eggs
½ cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier (optional)
Vegetable oil
6 (1-inch-thick) slices brioche bread or egg bread
Powdered sugar, for topping
Berry syrup, for topping
chanterelle and gruyère strata with fresh thyme
Chanterelle mushrooms and eggs are a classic combination. This strata is easy to compile ahead of time. Everything is assembled two hours in advance in the buttered skillet, refrigerated, and then baked. Just pop the skillet in the preheated oven and prepare a crisp green salad to serve alongside.
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
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Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and the oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots, mushrooms, and thyme and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, transfer the mixture from the pan, and set aside. In the warm pan, swirl the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Layer in half of the bread, half of the chanterelle mixture, and half of the cheese and onions. Repeat the same sequence with the remainders.
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In a medium bowl beat together the half-and-half, eggs, and salt. Slowly pour the egg mixture over the top of the bread mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to baking.
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Preheat the oven to 350°F.
