Cast Iron Skillet Big Flavors (16 page)

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  Lower the oven temperature to 325°F.

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  In a shallow dish, combine the flour, salt, and pepper. Add half of the beef cubes and dust with the flour. Shake off any excess flour. Add 1 tablespoon each of the olive oil and the butter to a 10- or 12-inch cast iron skillet over mediumhigh heat. Once hot, add half of the beef cubes, being sure not to crowd the pan. Cook until the meat starts to brown, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, turn the meat and cook for 3 minutes more. Transfer to a platter and repeat with another 1 tablespoon each of the olive oil and the butter to cook the remaining meat. Transfer to the platter.

1 sheet frozen puff pastry

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon water

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1½ pounds boneless beef chuck or beef brisket, cut into 1½-inch cubes

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

4 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided

1½ cups button mushrooms, cleaned and cut into ½-inch slices

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

2 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

½ teaspoon dried oregano

1 cup beef broth

1 cup Guinness stout

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1½ cups grated cheddar cheese

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  In the same pan, add another 1 tablespoon each of the olive oil and the butter and cook the mushrooms until they start to brown and release liquid. Transfer to a small bowl and reserve. Add the remaining olive oil and butter to the skillet, and cook the onion, carrots, and celery until the onions become translucent. Return the mushrooms to the skillet. Add the garlic, thyme, and oregano, and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the beef broth, Guinness, and Worcestershire sauce and stir. Add the beef cubes and gently mix in, coating well with the onion-mushroom mixture. Cover tightly with foil and/or a lid and place in the oven for 2 hours. Remove from the oven and season with salt and pepper.

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  Serve the stew in warmed bowls, each sprinkled with cheese and topped with a puff pastry square.

seared scallops with rhubarb sauce and citrus butter glaze

We love the way scallops sear so beautifully in the cast iron skillet. The tart sweetness of the rhubarb complements the sweetness of the scallops, and the star anise is a subtle yet pleasant surprise to the palate. We love the versatility of rhubarb—it can be used for savory dishes as well as sweet. It was originally classified as a vegetable up until 1947, when the New York State Court decided to change its classification to a fruit due to its more common use in desserts and preserves.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

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  Preheat the oven to 400°F.

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  To make the sauce, put the rhubarb and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium bowl and toss. Spread the rhubarb over the bottom of a cast iron skillet or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place on the middle rack and bake until soft enough that you can mash with the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, set aside, and turn down the heat to 200°F.

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  In a small cast iron skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the leeks and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Put the rhubarb and leeks in a blender and blend until smooth.

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  Return to the saucepan and heat on medium-low. Add the wine, water, sugar, and star anise, turn the heat to low, and stir and simmer for 5 minutes. Swirl in the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Add the salt and white pepper. Remove from the heat and reserve.

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  To prepare the citrus butter, melt the butter and the marmalade in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir well and set aside.

2 cups rhubarb, cut into ½-inch pieces

5 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more as needed

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1 leek, white part only, sliced in half lengthwise, rinsed well, cut into ¼-inch slices

2 tablespoons white wine

½ cup water

3 tablespoons sugar

2 whole star anise

¼ teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

About 1¼ pounds large scallops (approximately 16)

CITRUS BUTTER

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon marmalade

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  To prepare the scallops, pat dry with paper towels and set on a plate. In a 10- or 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the scallops without crowding, spacing them apart slightly, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate and place in the oven to keep warm. Add another 2 tablespoons olive oil and cook another batch of scallops in the same manner until all are cooked.

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  Remove the scallops from the oven and brush all with the citrus butter. To serve, reheat the rhubarb sauce over low heat for 5 minutes. Place ¼ cup warm sauce on each individual plate and place 4 scallops on the sauce.

smoky smothered chicken

This delicious, golden-colored chicken offers layers of flavors, especially the smoked paprika. You can fix an easy Sunday supper and enjoy a stress-free meal. Serve with rice and a simple, light salad. The crispy onions really make this dish.

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

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  Preheat the oven to 350°F.

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  Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, paprika, and salt. Dip the chicken in the flour mixture, lightly coating both sides. Heat 1 tablespoon each of the butter and oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Shake excess flour from the chicken, then add 5 pieces of chicken to the skillet at a time. Lightly brown the chicken for 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a platter. Heat the remaining butter and oil and cook the remaining chicken pieces in the same manner.

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  Rinse the skillet with hot water and dry with paper towels. Add the reserved chicken pieces back to the skillet. Pour the cream over the chicken. Add the garlic, jalapeño, and ginger, and gently stir to incorporate. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Turn over the chicken pieces and cook for another 15 minutes. Turn the chicken over once more, sprinkle with the onion rings, and bake for 5 minutes more. Lightly sprinkle with a few dashes of hot sauce and serve.

4 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless

3 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut in half crosswise

½ cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 cup heavy cream

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon finely diced jalapeño pepper, seeds removed

¼ cup finely chopped candied ginger

⅔ cup French’s or other brand fried onion rings

Hot sauce, preferably Crystal (optional)

seared rib-eye with truffle butter and rogue river smoked blue cheese

The rib-eye steak has so much flavor. Searing it in the cast iron skillet forms a crisp crust and seals in the juices. Searing also cooks out the excess fat. At our house, it’s the favorite steak.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

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  To prepare the truffle butter, combine the shallots, butter, truffle salt, and parsley in a small bowl.

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  Preheat the oven to 375°F.

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  Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. Season both sides of the steaks with salt and pepper. Cook the steaks for 3 minutes on each side, then transfer to the oven and bake for 5 minutes to finish cooking. Remove from the pan, let the steaks rest for 5 minutes, spread with truffle butter, and cut into ¾-inch-thick slices. Sprinkle the crumbled blue cheese over the sliced steak. Serve with Butter-Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes.

1 tablespoon minced shallot

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon truffle salt

1 tablespoon minced parsley

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 rib-eye steaks

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 ounces Rogue River smoked blue cheese, crumbled

Butter-Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes (recipe follows)

 butter-mashed yukon gold potatoes 

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

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  In a large pot, cover the potatoes with cold salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes. Warm a 10- or 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Put the potatoes in the skillet and partially mash with a potato masher. Add the butter, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the butter is melted and the potatoes are creamy and still slightly chunky. Serve hot.