Food blogger offers solid iron cooking suggestions

Years later, after I changed into a younger mom, I tried cooking cornbread in a solid iron skillet. Maybe I didn’t comply with the recipe directions nicely or failed to season the pan successfully. Maybe it becomes a cheap pan, and I became by no means going to have the achievement. Whatever the cause, my strive resulted in pure disaster. The cornbread adhered to the skillet, and no amount of digging changed into going to result in something but messy crumbs.

I, in the end, tossed the cornbread and panned inside the trash. And I never tried solid iron cooking once more.

Am I prepared to try once more?

Megan Keno promises to interrupt down the obstacles of cast iron cooking along with her new e-book, “Cast Iron Gourmet.” Cast iron has been a kitchen staple for centuries due to its even heating, terrific warmness retention, and natural nonstick floor. Fans love its flexibility because it could cross from stove pinnacle to oven to exterior over an open fireplace. You could make the whole lot in a solid iron pan, from flawlessly seared steaks to decadent desserts. Keno, a founder of the Country Cleaver food blog, wants her book to demystify solid iron cooking and make converts of us all. In her advent, she explains the two sorts of cast iron and arms you with the facts to pick which one you need and how to get the exceptional bang for your buck.

The cookbook, just under two hundred pages, is packed with seventy-seven enticing recipes like Sweet and Spicy Pineapple-Braised Pork Ribs; Crispy Chicken Thighs; One-Skillet Enchilada Casserole with Cotija and Crema; Banana, Bourbon, and Pecan Baked Oatmeal; Roasted Vegetable Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms; Quick and Simple Beef Stew; Apricot-Almond Babka; Sweet Potato Dinner Rolls with Honey Butter; Quiche Lorraine with Spinach in a Hash Brown Crust; Cherries Jubilee; Double Chocolate Fudge Skillet Poke Cake; and my non-public favorite, Half-Assed Apple Pie. Right now, I’m going to move to find that forged iron pan I acquired as a gift about five years ago, take it out of the field, and make a half-assed attempt at one of the following. If you don’t like unshelled shrimp staring at you with beady little eyes, do this paella made with chorizo and peeled shrimp.

Chorizo and Shrimp Paella

• half a pound sliced chorizo sausage

• half of cup olive oil

• 1 1/2 cups arborio rice

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• Pinch of cayenne pepper

• half cup white wine

• 1 1/2 to two cups bird stock

• 1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes

• half of pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp

• 1 cup peas

• 1 teaspoon chipotle paste (optionally available)

Over medium-high heat, upload chorizo to solid iron skillet and prepare dinner till crispy and brown on all facets, about five minutes. Once the chorizo is cooked, set apart on a plate. Add the olive oil to the pan and reduce the warmth to medium-low. Sprinkle in the arborio rice and stir to toast the rice, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cayenne until simply fragrant. The rice has to look barely translucent and toasted golden brown. Deglaze the pan using pouring the white wine into the skillet and stirring the rice with the wine. Allow the wine to evaporate and then whisk inside the fowl stock and tomatoes. Cover the pan and cook dinner the rice for about eleven to twelve mins, till the rice is cooked via. Next, stir in the shrimp, chorizo, and peas. Continue to prepare dinner blanketed for every other six minutes, or till the shrimp is cooked through and the peas are tender. For a little greater kick, stir in the chipotle paste. Serve hot.

Makes six servings.

Here is a surely correct purpose to very own a cast-iron skillet.

Cowboy Butter Skillet-Grilled T-Bone Steak

• 1 (2-pound) T-bone steak or 2 (1 pound each) bone-in rib-eye steaks

• 7 tablespoons butter, softened, divided

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• half teaspoon lemon zest

• 2 teaspoons minced parsley

• 1/eight teaspoon ground pepper

• 1/eight teaspoon purple pepper flakes

• Kosher salt and pepper

• three tablespoons light olive oil

• 2 to three sprigs of thyme

• 2 to three sprigs of rosemary

• three entire unpeeled cloves of garlic

•1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola

Set the steaks out at least 45 mins before cooking to take the relax off. This will sell even cooking—Preheat oven to 350 ranges. Mix four tablespoons of butter, garlic, lemon zest, parsley, ground pepper, and purple pepper flakes in a small bowl. When mixed completely, wrap gently in parchment paper and create a roll. Twist the ends of the parchment paper closed and vicinity within the lower back of the refrigerator. Bring a skillet to temperature slowly, starting at medium heat, turning as much as medium-high warmth. This will make certain that the pan heats flippantly without creating warm spots.

Pat the steaks dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Melt 3 tablespoons butter and 3 tablespoons olive oil collectively till mixed and simmering. If the pan begins to smoke too heavily, reduce the warmth barely. If the butter or oil scorches, begin over. Sear the steak in the pan for approximately four to 5 minutes in line with aspect until it evidently releases from the pan and is deep golden brown. Do now not disturb the steak or test it for doneness too frequently. If the steak does no longer release from the pan clearly, let it maintain to sear till it does. Flip the steak and location it on a portion of the skillet that it formerly did not cover, if available. You want to give it a clean, warm region to sear. Place the sprigs of thyme and rosemary into the pan together with the entire garlic cloves.

Place the skillet into the oven and bake till the steak is finished to taste. The thickness of the steak will determine how long it desires to be inside the oven. For a 2-inch T-bone steak, prepare dinner 20 mins for medium uncommon and 25 minutes for medium. If cooking rib eyes, reduce the bake time by using 5 to seven minutes earlier than reducing and serving. Spoon any juices from the pan returned onto the steak as it rests. Slice the herbed cowboy butter and vicinity a couple of pats on the pinnacle of the steak to soften. Top with crumbled Gorgonzola cheese and serve.

Make two to four servings.

Green Chili and Cheddar Beer Bread

• 2 1/2 cups flour

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• half of teaspoon ground pepper

• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

• 1 can (four ounces) slight chopped green chilies

• 6 tablespoons butter

• 12 oz. Mexican beer

Preheat oven to 375 ranges.

In a massive bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Stir in 1 half of cups cheddar cheese and green chilies till mixed, breaking up any clumps of cheese—heat cast-iron skillet on the stove over medium warmth. Add butter to the skillet and soften it, swirling it around until the lowest and facets of the skillet are covered. Drizzle the melted butter over the dry ingredients and set aside the skillet. Pour beer over cheese combination and stir simply till blended. Do no longer overmix; it’s alleged to be lumpy and very thick. Pour cornbread batter into a heated skillet and spread it out over the whole pan. Sprinkle with the ultimate cheddar cheese. Bake at once for 15 to 20 mins or till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out easy. Remove skillet from oven and let cool barely before slicing and serving.

Makes six to 8 servings.

This snack cake nearly shouts fall. It might be perfect for any event.

Applesauce and Raisin Skillet Cake

• 1 cup apple cider

• 1 cup golden raisins or dried apples

• 1 half cups flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• half cup sugar, divided

• 1 teaspoon apple pie spice

• 1 egg

• half of teaspoon salt

• half of cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 cup applesauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. If you are not using a nicely seasoned skillet, line the skillet bottom with a spherical of parchment paper. Pour apple cider and raisins or dried apples into a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and allow the fruit to absorb the cider. Turn the heat off after about 5 minutes. Allow fruit to cool within the pan. While fruit is cooling, whisk together flour and baking soda. In any other bowl, whisk sugar and apple pie spice collectively. Set aside 2 tablespoons sugar combination for later to top the cake. Whisk remainder into flour mixture. In a blending bowl, whisk egg, salt, melted and cooled butter, and vanilla. Whisk together till mild and fluffy, about 30 seconds.

In a meals processor, blend cider and raisin mixture till nearly clean. Next, fold applesauce into the egg and butter aggregate till completely mixed. Lastly, fold in flour aggregate until just integrated. Pour into covered skillet and smooth with the return of a spoon or spatula. Sprinkle the ultimate apple pie spice sugar over the top of the cake and area it within the oven for about 35 mins, checking at half-hour to make sure it’s now not overcooking. Test the doneness with a toothpick within the center of the pan. If a few crumbs continue to be at the toothpick, it is prepared to cast off from the oven. Place on a wire rack to chill absolutely before serving.