The 50 Best Cast-Iron Recipes. Tasty, Fresh, and Easy to Make!

108 Pages·2011·0.67 MB·English

by  Adams Media

The 50 Best
Cast-Iron Recipes
Tasty, fresh, and easy to make!
Adams Media, a division of F+W Media, Inc.
Avon, Massachusetts
Contents
Introduction
Fried Green Tomatoes
Egg Rolls
Cheesy Jalapeños Wrapped in Bacon
Tender Cod Fritters
Extra Crispy Fried Chicken
Garlic and Herb Roast Chicken
Apricot and Provolone-Stuffed Chicken Thighs
Date, Honey, and Balsamic Chicken
Seared Duck Breast
Zesty Cumin-Chili Turkey Breast
Coq Au Vin
Smoked Turkey Chili
Boston Baked Beans
Javanese Chicken Soup
Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup
Crawfish Maque Choux
Shrimp Fra Diavolo
Barbecued Salmon
Seared Tuna with Cilantro Sauce
Butter-Basted Grilled Lobster Tails
Steamed Mussels in White Wine Sauce
Caramelized Ribeye Steaks with Wasabi
Swedish Meatballs
Mussamun Curried Beef
Hearty Beef Stew
Ropa Vieja
Corned Beef Brisket
Pork Chops in Dijon-Caper Sauce
Ginger, Garlic, and Apricot-Stuffed Pork Roast
Oven-Roasted Spareribs
Sausage with Escarole and Cannellini
Pulled Pork
Herb and Garlic-Roasted Rack of Lamb
Pasta Puttanesca
Bolognese Sauce
Macaroni and Three Cheeses
Baked Barley Risotto
Popovers
Potatoes Au Gratin
Roasted Broccoli
Sautéed Scallions and Radishes
Indian Spinach and Cheese (Palak Paneer)
Romanesco with Dijon-Wine Sauce
The Best French Toast
Banana Bread
Buttermilk-Oatmeal Muffins
Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Irish Soda Bread
Cherry Pudding Cake
Bread Pudding
Also Available
Copyright Page
Introduction
Cast-iron cookware requires an investment in time and care not necessary with
other types. But if you make the initial investment, you’ll be pleased, and may
ignore some of the other pieces you own in favor of cast iron. So whether you’ve
found grandma’s old skillet that held piles of pancakes on Saturday mornings, or
you’ve just seen a cooking show and decided to give these pans a try, you’ll be
challenged and satisfied. After you’ve used your pans for a while, you may even
find yourself bragging about them to your friends and family.
Cooking in cast iron doesn’t limit you to grandma’s American classics like
cornbread, pancakes, and bacon-fried everything. Cast iron’s durability makes it
a great choice, no matter what cuisine you’re cooking. In cast-iron cookware,
you can make a West African chicken stew, a pot of Belgian mussels, or even a
sweet and tangy pork dish from Iceland. The recipes you’ll find here are inspired
by these cuisines, and most of the ingredients needed are available at your local
grocery store.
All of these dishes can, and should, be made in the cast-iron pans you’re likely
to find at your local department store, hardware store, or high-end cooking store.
The iconic shiny, black skillet is the most commonly used pan you’ll find, but
Dutch ovens, griddles, grill pans, chicken fryers, and a wide variety of bakeware
can be found easily as well. And as you’ll discover, newer isn’t necessarily
better. So go through grandma’s attic, visit flea markets and yard sales, or shop
online to find the pan that may transform how you cook, think about cooking,
and how you enjoy the world’s cuisines.
Fried Green Tomatoes
This down-home classic will have you thinking of warm Southern nights. For an
added kick, try serving with a ranch dressing dipping sauce, or on a crusty roll
with chipotle mayonnaise.
Serves 6–8
Ingredients
11⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
1⁄2 cup cornmeal
1⁄2 teaspoon salt, plus 1 pinch
1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1⁄4–1⁄2 cup milk 3–4 large green tomatoes
1⁄4 cup vegetable oil
1. Mix together the flour, cornmeal, 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a large
bowl. Pour 1⁄4 cup of milk into the bowl and stir to combine. If mixture
looks dry, add more milk until you get a thick batter. Slice the tomatoes into
1⁄4" slices. Pat dry with paper towels.
2. Place a skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Dip each tomato slice into
the batter and let the excess drip off. Slide them into the skillet so they’re
not touching. Cook each side for 11⁄2–2 minutes. Remove them and place on
a rack over paper towels to keep them from getting soggy.
3. While they’re still hot, sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Serve warm.
Egg Rolls
You can freeze leftover egg rolls. To reheat them, bake in a 350°F oven for 15
minutes.
Makes 20–25 egg rolls
Ingredients
1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil
1⁄2 cabbage head, shredded
5 carrots, shredded
1⁄4 pound shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1⁄2 teaspoon honey
3 garlic cloves, minced
1" piece fresh ginger, peeled and shredded
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 package egg roll wrappers
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1⁄4 cup cold water
Peanut oil, as needed