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.

pantry staples

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

breakfast

anytime

Smoked Salmon Hash with Tricolored Potatoes

Chilaquiles

Skillet Quiche with Broccoli, Mushrooms, and Green Onions

Croque Monsieur Meets Croque Madame

Apple French Toast Bread Pudding

Papas con Chorizo

Crumpets

Green Chili Soufflé with Dungeness Crab

Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Cornmeal Skillet Cakes

South African Bobotie

Skillet-Roasted Granola with Candied Pecans, Craisins, and Coconut

Brioche French Toast

Chanterelle and Gruyère Strata with Fresh Thyme

German Apple Pancake

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