Neysao

Seasoned For Ages

Most modern-day cooks have never cooked in cast iron, many have never (knowingly, anyway), tasted a cast iron dish, and even fewer have probably ever cared for a cast iron skillet—beyond hanging it on a kitchen wall and dusting it periodically.  And, if you fall into this category oh boy are you missing out.  I am about to open up a whole new world of cooking for you with my very first blog! (Source: Cast-Iron Cooking for Dummies by Tracy Barr)

One of my favorite pieces to use in the kitchen is the cast iron skillet passed down to me from my grandmother. Cast iron conducts heat extremely well resulting in even, well retained heat and evenly cooked dishes.  There are a lot of misconceptions that cast iron can be tricky, but if you care for it as my grandmother, mother and I have, with a little TLC, you will have cast iron seasoned through the ages by amazing family traditions.  My cast iron skillet is so well seasoned, the corn bread slides right out sans any prompting.

Both of my grandmothers were very special ladies. I can recall Grandma Osborne cooking on a wood stove, even with an electric stove readily handy. She would cook biscuits, fried pies, meats, really anything and everything in her iron skillet on that wood stove. When Grandma ran out of apples she would grab some change from Grandpa’s coveralls hanging on the back door and send my sister and me up to our great Uncle’s store to buy more apples for fried pies. We thought we were such big girls! Grandma Osborne is the grandmother that handed down her cast iron skillet. Grandma Calhoun, the grandma that lived in town, would always make us cast iron skillet cornbread. She bought me my first cast iron skillet just before I went to college, which was the beginning of my collection.

 FUN FACT:  George Washington’s mother bequeathed her cast iron in her will.  You can still see some of the selection on display in the National Museum in Washington, D.C.   (Source:  Cast-Iron Cooking for Dummies by Tracy Barr.)

If you are lucky enough to have family cast iron it is likely all the cleaning and seasoning tips were also passed down.  If you are unaware though of how to carefully care for and clean your cast iron it can be intimidating at first. Keeping a few key rules in mind will help your cast iron last.

Most importantly when cleaning your skillet, ALWAYS hand wash with hot water and NEVER use soap! Soap eats away at the seasoning.  And NEVER put cast iron in the dishwasher, which would be the death of your skillet. It is easiest to clean your cast iron right after use, while it is still warm. To remove stuck on food you can use a plastic food scraper or boil water in the pan on the stovetop. Always towel dry completely right after washing to avoid any rusting, which can be the biggest issue with cast iron.  I will sometimes set my pan on the stovetop over high heat for a few minutes to ensure that it is completely dry, this is really important to avoid rust. As mentioned, rust is one of the most common problems with cast iron. There are ways to rid your pans of rust, but it is best to prevent it altogether.  You can also remove rust by cleaning with sea salt or baking soda.   I then coat my pan in about a teaspoon of oil, using my fingertips to spread the oil and then a paper towel to wipe off any excess.  Personally, I store my cast iron in the oven, but any cool, dry place will work. To re-season your cast iron, oil it well and place it in an oven at a high temperature (350° – 400°) for an hour. Re-seasoning helps protect from moisture and maintain the natural non-stick properties of cast iron that will build up over time and use, ensuring it will last a lifetime.

 FUN FACT:  The longevity of cast iron cookware is a boon to sustainability.  Indeed, many pieces of Lodge made in 1896 remain in use today.  (Source:  Cast-Iron Cooking for Dummies by Tracy Barr.)

If you are looking to purchase your first cast iron piece or you’re building on an existing collection, I always recommend having a 12” skillet, approximately 2” deep, at the center of your arsenal. In my opinion, this piece is the most versatile in cast iron cookware. You can then build on that, adding additional skillet sizes, a griddle, Dutch oven, bakeware and so much more. I have even seen cast iron spoon rests!  Some of the oldest and most popular US brands include Griswold and Wagner (both manufactured by American Culinary Corporation), Lodge and Camp Chef.  Calphalon and Ecolution also offer cast iron available at a number of retailers.

FUN FACT:  Today, the Dutch oven is the official cookware of the states of Texas, Arkansas and Utah.  (Source:  Cast-Iron Cooking for Dummies by Tracy Barr.)

My neighbor of nearly a decade has an endearing 88-year-old mother, who travels from Rome by herself every year to visit for several months. She is another amazing lady. Rosa Zinzi takes pride in her cooking, just as Picasa would a painting. Everyone who’s had the pleasure of knowing her and her family would describe her as, knowledgeable, non-judgmental, trustworthy with even the deepest of secrets, and most importantly, she is truly a lady. Nona, as we call her, lives in Rome where most of the family lives with the exception of her son, Nick, and two grandsons.  I was fortunate to move into the building and become Nick’s neighbor.  One evening, I was invited to a dinner party during one of Nona’s annual visits and I have been treated like family ever since.   What a blessing this family has become.

The meal Nona prepared that evening, not to exclude the sauce, would be totally classified as a “Food- Gasm”! I make special mention of the sauce because I requested so many extra servings of sauce, they offered to place a straw in my own side dish. To this day, Nona still makes extra sauce when I come for dinner and a special batch before she leaves, which I freeze and only use for special occasions. Make no mistake, her son Nick isn’t too shabby himself. He’s a great substitute until Nona returns. J

After that memorable meal I was lucky enough to have Nona teach me the recipe for the Italian Peppers. This dish became one of my absolute favorite cast iron recipes after just the first bite.   And lucky for you, Nona is allowing me share the recipe with you. Try it out with some of my tips and tricks for a savory, mouth-watering addition to your meats, salads and bread.  You’ll surely want to pass the recipe down with your cast iron!

TLC Tips for Your Cast Iron:

Hand-wash only (no dishwashers!)
Never use soap
Clean after use, while pan is still warm
Use a pan scraper or boil water in the pan to remove stuck on food
Always dry your cast iron immediately and completely
Coat with oil after every ‘wash’
Store in a cool, dry place
If your cast iron has rust, scour the rust, rinse, dry completely and re-season
Re-season when necessary (coat heavily in oil, place in 350° – 400° oven for an hour)
And remember, before you pour batter into cast iron you should preheat the cookware

Lodge offers additional information and tips on their website, http://www.lodgemfg.com/useandcare/seasoned-cast-iron

Nona’s Italian Peppers

Ingredients

Olive oil, enough to cover ½” in the pan
Sea salt, dash
12 – 15 bell peppers (combination of yellow, orange and red)
1 cup vinegar (for washing peppers)
2 tbs dry oregano
8 cloves fresh garlic, minced or chopped
½ tsp red pepper flakes (add more if you like spicy)

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°. Cover the bottom of the cast iron skillet with approximately ½” of olive oil and a dash of sea salt, place in oven to heat up.

Use only yellow, orange and red bell peppers for this recipe. Green bell peppers add a bitter flavor so avoid using them. It is important to wash them, as bell peppers are one of the veggies that most easily adhere to the chemicals found in pesticides. Rinse them in a large bowl or the kitchen sink in a vinegar/water solution and dry before using.

Remove the seeds and the white portions on the inside of the peppers, known as the pith, and quarter them. Place in a large bowl and coat heavily with olive oil. Add the dry oregano, garlic, red pepper flakes and a pinch of sea salt and toss with hands to coat evenly.

By this time, your cast iron skillet and oil should be hot. Carefully remove from the oven. Pour the pepper and oil mixture into the pan, return to oven and cook for approximately 1 ½ hours to 1 hour and 45 minutes. Turn the peppers periodically (every quarter hour is usually best), approximately 4 – 6 times.

The olive oil mixture will be red in color and the edges of the peppers will start to blacken when dish is ready (I like mine especially well done so I leave it in a little longer).

These peppers pair well with pasta, on an arugula salad with meats, pork loin, chicken, turkey, or on ciabatta bread in luau of garlic bread or as a sandwich bread.  Really they are amazing with anything! This dish serves 6-8 people (as long as I am not one of them!)

Tip: Save the oil! This Italian seasoned oil is suprisingly remarkable as a salad dressing or on toasted ciabatta bread. For the bread, coat heavily with oil on both sides and toast on your cast iron skillet or Panini press until golden brown. Spread peppers between two slices of bread to add a special touch for most any sandwich or the next day, cut into pieces for croutons. The bread can be stored in a Ziploc bag to keep crisp for a couple of days.