Cast Iron
my kitchen at home and what I really love about it is the versatility
it offers. You can deep fry, sear, sauté, bake, braise and more all
with a single pan, and at a much lower price that most kitchen gear.
Well maintained cast iron is basically indestructible and can last
you a lifetime with the proper care and respect and it also gets
better and better with age so finding vintage, antique or hand me
down cast iron can be a really great money saving option. My ever
growing personal collection of cast iron is made up of about 60%
vintage finds (mostly Wagner) and 40% new pre-seasoned pots and pans
etc. (mostly Lodge).
The many benefits of cast iron are well
documented and much deserved. It really is a cheaper, healthier and
longer lasting option in the kitchen as you may have heard, but does
have its own learning curve to master. The weight and heat retention
of a cast iron pan, for example, are both very different than that of
an aluminum or stainless steel pan and you have to account for that
when you are cooking with it. It does not take much practice to get a
good feel for the basic cooking differences once you get started, but
it will take some time, so it is best to start off with something
simple like fried eggs or sautéed onions then work your way into
more complicated dishes if you are new to it. Well-seasoned cast iron
is also naturally non-stick (as opposed to Teflon or other forms of
non-stick coated pans) and will require less oil for cooking, making
it healthier to cook with.
is the damage that can arise from exposure to soaps, degreasers and
water, but all of those issues are easily avoided if you simply
research proper cleaning and care techniques. Lodge is a widely
available, inexpensive, high quality brand that produces new
pre-seasoned cast iron cookware and has a great web page for basic
maintenance of cast iron, which is a great place to start.
Cast Iron Brussel Sprouts – Early
Fall Food
This dish is
something I have been refining for the past several years and it
involves an acquired cooking technique that I think can only truly be
achieved with a cast iron pan. If you have (or can find) a
well-seasoned cast iron pan for this, the real trick is to get the
pan superhot at the beginning of the recipe and sear and caramelize
the sprouts without cooking them through so you get a nice char on
the outside and a fresh crunch in the middle, which may or may not
set off your smoke alarm. Best made in the early fall when fresh
still on the stalk Brussel sprouts are at their peak. Pairs well with
a baked or boiled potato.
You will need:
- Brussel Sprouts (Fresh off the stalk is
best, cleaned and cut in half lengthwise.) - Sweet Yellow Onion (cut into thin
Julian) - Shallots (cut into thin Julian)
- Garlic (German Hard is best, roughly
minced) - Smoked Sausage (Cut into bite sized
chunks) - Fresh Parsley (Stems removed and finely
chopped) - 1/2 Stick Butter (Less if desired)
- Olive oil
- HOT Hungarian Paprika (to taste)
- Salt/Pepper to taste
Heat up the cast iron pan on high heat
until it begins to smoke, once hot add in about a quarter stick of
butter, and a splash of olive oil. Once the butter has melted add in
the Brussel sprouts and sauté without stirring until they start to
turn dark golden brown (but not black) then toss and repeat the
process once more. The outside edges of the sprouts should have a
nice, thick caramelized layer but not be cooked completely through to
the middle. Remove the Sprouts from the pan and set aside.
return the now empty pan to the stove. Add another splash of olive
oil and the remainder of the butter, once melted add in the onion,
shallot and garlic and sauté until they start to soften and color
(5-8 min), then add in the sausage and cook until it just begins to
brown. Add in the parsley, salt/pepper and HOT Hungarian paprika to
taste and mix well. Add in the seared sprouts, toss quickly and
serve.
About
J.Nevadomskiis an accomplished musician, artist, art director and gallery curator
from Rochester NY. He has recorded with musicians from all over the
world for his project “The Fragile Path” and is a veteran artist
whose paintings have been featured in galleries, newspapers and
exhibitions throughout Western NY. In 2012 he was the “artist guest
of honor” at RocCon: Rochester’s Anime, Sci-Fi and comic book
convention. He is on the board of directors for Flower City Comic Con
(FC3) serving as art director, is the resident curator for the art
gallery at Bread & Water Theatre. He lives in the Park Ave area
of Rochester, keeps a yearly urban vegetable garden and regularly
cooks and hosts dinner parties for friends and colleagues.
All WNY is made possible thanks to coffee and sleep deprivation.
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