While wandering through TheKitchn's website, I found two extremely helpful articles dealing with cast iron skillets. The first one, titled “How To Season a Cast Iron Skillet”, shows how to season your cast iron skillet before using it. The second article, which is also extremely helpful, is titled “How to Restore a Rusty Cast Iron Skillet”.
There's also a third article to read through if you're wondering whether to buy a cast iron skillet, especially if you're worried about using one. I'd wondered if I could cook certain foods in a cast iron skillet, or how to use one. Check out “5 Myths of Cast Iron Cookware”. Finally, one last link to check out from The Kitchn: 35 Ways to Love Your Cast Iron Skillet. Tips and recipes for using your cast iron skillet.
And now for today's six recipes. Enjoy!
GNOCCHI SKILLET WITH CHICKEN SAUSAGE & TOMATOES
This comes from TheKitchn's website. Serves 4.
To view this online, click here.
1 pound gnocchi
Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
9 ounces (about 3 links) cooked chicken sausage, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick coins
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
1 to 2 ounces fresh basil, julienned (1/2 to 1 cup loosely packed)
Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling; cook the gnocchi for 2 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and toss with a drizzle of olive oil.
Heat a 10-inch or larger cast iron skillet over medium heat with a light drizzle of olive oil. Add the sausage and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it begins to brown. Push the sausage into a pile at the edge of the skillet and turn the heat up to high.
When the skillet is quite hot, add the tomatoes, skin down, crowding them in if necessary. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until they are blistered, then stir in with the sausage. Cook for 2 more minutes, until both tomatoes and sausage are slightly browned. Stir in gnocchi and cook just until all is combined, but the tomatoes have not broken down into sauce.
Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the basil. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Any cooked chicken sausage is good in this dish, although I do prefer one with a little extra flavor added, like red peppers or garlic.
I specify a cast iron skillet because I think it gives the best color and sear to the tomatoes and sausage. However, any deep skillet or sauté pan should work as well, provided it doesn't have a nonstick coating, which will interfere with browning.
WHOLE ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH ALMOND-HERB SAUCE
This comes from Julia Moskin in The New York Times Cooking e-newsletter. Julia wrote, “This striking dish has become a modern classic, as chefs around the world are working out new ways to push vegetables into the center of the plate. It makes a lovely vegetarian main course after a pasta intro, or a gorgeous side dish for lamb or fish. Omit the anchovies [see Note] in the sauce, and it becomes entirely vegetarian; replace the butter with more olive oil, and it turns vegan. Try using pale orange, green or purple cauliflower, or a head of spiky, psychedelic Romanesco. Carve it at the table, just like a roast, for maximum impact.”
Note: I've omitted the anchovies in the ingredient list...Never liked 'em. Since they were listed as optional, I've left them out. If you want to check out the recipe with the anchovies included, you can follow the link (posted in just a minute...) and view it there.
Time for this recipe is about 2 hours; makes 2 main course servings, or 4 to 6 side dish servings. To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
FOR THE CAULIFLOWER:
1 large cauliflower
Olive oil
Salt
FOR THE SAUCE:
1/3 cup blanched almonds
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for basting
2 teaspoons wine vinegar (white or red), more to taste
1/2 cup coarsely chopped parsley, mint, tarragon, cilantro or a combination
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and ground black pepper
Preparation
Heat the oven while you prepare the cauliflower: Place a heavy oven-proof skillet (a cast-iron skillet looks very nice) or a baking sheet in the oven and turn the heat to 375 degrees. Place a small pan of hot water on the floor of the oven, to create steam.
Break off and discard the outer leaves from the cauliflower. Cut off the bottom of the stem, and then use the tip of a small, sharp knife to cut off the leaves close to the stem. Carefully cut out the hard core of the cauliflower, near the bottom. Leave the main stem intact and make sure not to cut through any of the florets.
Rinse the cauliflower (leave the water clinging to the outside) and place on a work surface, core side up. Drizzle with olive oil and use your hands to rub over the cauliflower until evenly coated. Sprinkle with salt.
Place the cauliflower on the hot pan in the oven, core side down, and cook until very tender all the way through when pierced with a knife, at least 1 hour or up to 2 hours. During the cooking, baste 2 or 3 times with more olive oil. It should brown nicely. If you have a convection feature, use it toward the end of baking to brown the crust.
Make the sauce: In a small frying pan, toast nuts over low heat, shaking often, just until golden and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
In a food processor, combine almonds, garlic and butter and pulse until smooth. Mix in oil, then vinegar. Mix in herbs and red pepper flakes, if using. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
When cauliflower is tender, remove from the oven. (If desired, run it briefly under the broiler first to brown the surface; there is no need to do this if you used convection.)
Serve cauliflower in the skillet or from a serving plate. Cut into wedges and spoon sauce around each wedge.
8-INGREDIENT STUFFED PEPPER SKILLET
This comes from Layers of Happiness, a site to “inspire you to live a happier and healthier lifestyle,” according Emily, half of the mother-daughter blogger team who run the site. Check out their site and recipes!
This recipe begins, “Only 8-ingredients in this quic and easy one-pot skillet dinner will feed an entire family in about 15 minutes no problem! This lazy stuffed peppers recipe is plate-lickin' good and will satisfy your comfort food hunger in big time!” Yields 6 servings; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 15 minutes.
To view this online, go to http://www.layersofhappiness.com/8-ingredient-stuffed-pepper-skillet/.
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
2 green bell peppers, diced
1 onion, chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup cooked rice
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Directions:
Place a large skillet with a over medium-high heat. When skillet is hot, add ground beef and cook 5–7 minutes, breaking into small pieces as it browns.
Add onions and bell peppers in with beef; stir to combine. Once the peppers have started to soften and the onions are translucent, carefully drain excess grease from skillet. Season with salt and pepper.
Return to stove reducing heat to medium. Stir in diced tomatoes with juice, tomato soup, Worcestershire sauce, and cooked brown rice. If the mixture is too thick, add up to 1 cup of water, until mixture reaches desired consistency.
Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese and replace the lid. Cook until cheese is melted. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
CHICKEN POTPIE
This comes from CountryLiving, and begins, “Prepared with store-bought pie dough and shredded rotisserie chicken, this hearty meal can be on the table in an hour flat.” Total Time: 1 hour; Prep Time: 25 minutes; Level: Moderate; Serves: 8.
To view this online, go to http://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/recipes/a3352/skillet-chicken-potpie-recipe/.
Ingredients
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 medium onion
4 medium carrots
2 stalk celery
2 clove garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
3 tbsp. heavy cream
2 c. chicken broth
4 c. shredded cooked chicken
1 c. frozen peas
1 1/2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill
1 store-bought piecrust
1 Egg
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Heat butter in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook until carrots begin to soften, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in flour. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in heavy cream and broth, using a whisk, until combined. Stir in chicken, peas, and dill and bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
Gently roll out store-bought pie crust until it reaches 12 inches in diameter. Place dough atop chicken mixture and brush with egg; cut vents in pastry. Transfer skillet to oven; bake until crust is browned and flaky, about 35 minutes.
CHEDDAR-TARAGON CORNBREAD
This also comes from CountryLiving, and begins, “Use your cast-iron skillet to make this Cheddar cheese- and tarragon-laced cornbread.” Total Time: 30 minutes; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Level: Moderate: Yield: 6 slices.
To view this online, go to http://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/recipes/a3349/cheddar-tarragon-cornbread-recipe/.
Ingredients
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. yellow cornmeal
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. sugar
1 stick unsalted butter
1 c. Buttermilk
2 large eggs
4 oz. sharp Cheddar
1 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and sugar; set aside.
Place butter in a 9-inch cast-iron skillet; set in oven until butter melts and begins to brown. In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk and eggs. Remove skillet from oven and pour melted butter into buttermilk mixture; whisk to combine and add in Cheddar and tarragon.
Stir buttermilk mixture into dry ingredients until just combined. Pour into hot skillet and return to oven. Bake until skewer inserted into center tests clean, about 20 minutes.
DEEP-DISH SKILLET PIZZA
This comes from page 37 of the February 2009 issue of
To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/deep-dish-skillet-pizza/.
Dough
1 tsp. light brown sugar
1/2 pkg. dry yeast (1/4 oz.)
3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. flax meal or ground flaxseed
2 tsp. olive oil
3/4 tsp. salt
Topping
2 Tbs. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)
8 cups loosely packed kale
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tsp. ground fennel seed
2 Tbs. Neufchâtel cheese (2 oz.)
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (4 oz.)
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 Tbs. chopped fresh oregano or basil
To make Dough: Dissolve brown sugar in 1/2 cup warm water in large bowl. Stir in yeast, and let stand 5 minutes, or until liquid is cloudy and bubbly. Stir in whole-wheat flour, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, flax meal, oil, and salt. Knead 2 minutes while adding 1/4 cup flour. Oil separate bowl, and turn dough in oil to coat. Cover, and let rise in warm spot until dough doubles in size, about 45 minutes.
To make Topping: Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add garlic, and sauté 2 minutes. Add kale, cover, and cook 15 minutes, or until kale is softened, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms and fennel seed, and cook 7 to 10 minutes more, or until all liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat, and stir in Neufchâtel cheese.
Preheat oven to 475°F. Oil bottom and sides of 12-inch cast iron skillet. With floured hands, pat and stretch Dough over bottom and halfway up sides of skillet. Let dough rest 5 minutes. Spread kale mixture on dough; scatter feta cheese, tomatoes, and oregano on top. Place skillet directly on oven floor, and bake 15 minutes. Remove carefully from oven, and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 274; Protein: 10 g; Total Fat: 14 g; Saturated Fat: 5 g; Carbohydrates: 30 g; Cholesterol: 24 mg; Sodium: 566 mg; Fiber: 5 g; Sugar: 4 g
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