scorched, seared, and griddled
Although a certain variety of pots and pans is necessary in any home kitchen, the pans I reach for most frequently are made of iron. I have a habit of searching for vintage iron pots at flea markets, and by now I have a rather large collection. It includes cast-iron skillets in several sizes, a wok or two, a large griddle, a Dutch oven, a ridged stovetop grilling pan, a couple of handmade Indian karahis, a comal from Mexico, and a trusty two-handled French sauté pan that gets daily use. (For high-acid sauces and stews, I recommend enamel-coated iron.)
Every dish in this chapter is enhanced by an iron pan, which seems to make nearly any food taste more lively. It makes sweet peppers taste sweeter, sears tuna for the best flavor, gives polenta a crisp golden crust, and helps shrimp sizzle. Iron cookware conducts heat in an even, reliable way, perfect for frying. It’s also the best choice for high-heat browning and indoor grilling. Before stainless steel and lightweight nonstick cookware came into fashion, iron is what most people used, for good reason. With a little care, these pans last a lifetime—longer, actually.
Here is a technique you don’t hear much about. The idea is to cook peppers and onions in a hot dry pan, relying on the moisture in the vegetables to keep them from burning (though they do char in a pleasant way). Since both the vegetables are high in water content, they begin to steam, but the high heat evaporates the steam immediately. As they are stirred, they start to take on a bit of color and soften. Once they are half-cooked, add salt and a small amount of oil, which allows them to caramelize, intensifying their natural sweetness. Eat them hot or cold. They’re good plain, but I usually add garlic, hot pepper, parsley or basil, and a little vinegar too. Serves 4
1 large onion, cut into ¼-inch slices
3 medium red or yellow sweet peppers (about 1 pound), sliced into ¼-inch-wide strips
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
Red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Chopped parsley or basil
Heat a wide cast-iron skillet over high heat, without adding any oil or fat, until the pan is nearly smoking, usually 4 to 5 minutes. Throw in the onion and peppers and stir briskly, then continue stirring until the vegetables begin to soften and char slightly, about 2 minutes. Adjust the heat if they seem to be cooking too quickly. Season with salt and pepper, add the olive oil, and stir-fry until nicely caramelized, another minute or so. Add the garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes and turn off the heat, then transfer to a serving bowl and add the vinegar and chopped parsley or basil.
This is an easy riff on steak au poivre, made not with beef but with a large, meaty Muscovy duck breast rubbed with a healthy amount of crushed black peppercorns and garlic. The duck is given a beautiful crisp skin in a cast-iron pan and cooked to a rosy medium-rare. Sliced and topped with a simple parsley salad, it makes a generous main course for two or three, or a smaller serving for four. Serves 2 to 4
1 Muscovy duck breast (about 1 pound)
1 teaspoon salt
4 garlic cloves, smashed to a paste with a little salt
1 tablespoon coarsely crushed peppercorns
Parsley Salad (recipe follows)
With a sharp knife, remove the tenderloin from the underside of the duck breast and reserve for another purpose. Trim any ragged bits or gristle. Turn the breast over and trim any excess fat from the edges. Score the skin by making shallow diagonal cuts, ½ inch apart, in one direction and then repeating in the other direction, creating a diamond pattern.
Season on both sides with the salt, then massage with the garlic paste. Press the crushed peppercorns evenly over both sides. Put the duck on a platter and leave to marinate for at least 1 hour at room temperature, or refrigerate overnight (if the latter, bring to room temperature before cooking).
Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. After 5 minutes, when the pan is hot, carefully add the duck breast skin side down and let it begin to sizzle. Using tongs, check to see that the skin is not browning too quickly, and reduce the heat as necessary. Be careful, the duck breast will render a fair amount of hot fat. The skin should be golden and crisp after 6 or 7 minutes. Turn the breast over and cook for 2 minutes more. Remove to a carving board and let rest for 10 minutes (when the rendered duck fat has cooled a bit, strain into a jar and save for future use). Cut at an angle into ¼-inch-thick slices and arrange on a platter. Top with the parsley salad and serve.
parsley salad
Parsley can stand up to an assertive, garlicky dressing; indeed, garlic and parsley play very well together.
Think of this salad more as a garnish than a bowlful, as a zippy topping for all kinds of things, from asparagus spears to sliced tomatoes to paper-thin salami. And it’s divine too showered over a rosy duck breast or a grilled rib-eye steak, sliced tagliata-style.
1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
A chunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for shaving (optional)
Pick the parsley leaves from the stems—you want about 2 cups. Wash and gently dry with a clean towel.
In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, garlic, and olive oil.
The parsley leaves must be dressed at the very last minute. Season with a sprinkle of salt, then toss with the dressing to coat lightly and serve in a fluffy pile. Garnish with shavings of Parmesan, if desired.
Scrapple, a traditional Pennsylvania Dutch favorite, is a meaty griddled breakfast dish still featured on menus throughout the mid-Atlantic states. I’m a fan, but I’ve come up with my own variation that’s a little bit Italian (not that any real Italian would ever make it). You start with well-seasoned hot fennel sausage (you can make a small batch for this recipe or buy good-quality Italian sausage), crumbled and lightly fried, and a pot of cooked polenta. Stir them together, and pour into a pie plate to cool. You want to let the whole thing firm up, so do it a day or two in advance. Then cook thick wedges in olive oil until browned and crisp. Good for breakfast, lunch, or supper, and especially nice with a garlicky radicchio salad. Serves 4
4 cups water
Salt and pepper
1 cup stone-ground polenta
1 pound Pork Sausage (recipe follows) or store-bought spicy Italian fennel sausages
2 teaspoons chopped rosemary
½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Olive oil
All-purpose flour for dusting
Bring the water to a boil in a large heavy saucepan. Add 2 teaspoons salt. Whisk in the polenta and stir well. After a minute or two, when the polenta has thickened a bit, reduce the heat to low and let cook gently, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes, until the grains have swollen and no raw cornmeal taste remains. (If the polenta gets too dry, add a little more water from time to time.)
Meanwhile, cook the sausage: Heat a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage meat (casings removed if purchased) and let it brown, using a spatula to crumble it into rough pieces, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Set aside at room temperature while the polenta finishes cooking.
When the polenta is done, add the sausage, along with the rosemary and Parmesan, stirring well to combine. Taste a spoonful of the mixture (let it cool first, so you don’t burn your mouth), then adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Spread the mixture onto a lightly oiled baking sheet or pie pan (use olive oil) to a depth of ¾ inch. Cool until a skin forms on top, then cover with plastic wrap and let firm up in the refrigerator, preferably overnight.
Heat a large cast-iron griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. Add a thin layer of olive oil. Cut the scrapple into wedges and dust lightly with flour on both sides. Put the wedges “skin” side down on the griddle. Cook gently until nicely browned and crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes, then flip and cook on the other side.
pork sausage
Makes 1 pound
1 pound coarsely ground pork shoulder, not too lean
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
3 garlic cloves, minced
Put the pork in a bowl and add all the remaining ingredients. Mix well to distribute the seasonings evenly. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, for up to 3 days, or wrap well and freeze for future use.
A delicious hot tapas classic is called pinchos moruños, or Moorish skewers—essentially, little kebabs marinated in Arabic (Moorish) spices and grilled, usually on a hot steel plancha. I use a cast-iron pan or griddle. Because Muslim Arabs wouldn’t eat pork, one presumes the original dish was made with lamb or goat. Now, however, in most Spanish tapas bars, small cubes of pork are seasoned with garlic, cumin, coriander, pimentón, and sometimes oregano. Once skewered, they need only about five minutes on a hot griddle. Best eaten standing. Serves 4
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1½ pounds pork tenderloin, cut into ½-inch slices
Salt and pepper
½ teaspoon sweet or hot pimentón
½ teaspoon dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, smashed to a paste with a little salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
Lemon wedges
Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a small dry skillet over medium-high heat just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Finely grind in a spice mill or with a mortar and pestle.
Season the pork lightly on both sides with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the cumin, coriander, pimentón, and oregano. Mix the garlic paste with the olive oil and drizzle over the meat. Rub the seasonings in with your fingers.
Thread the seasoned pork onto twelve short bamboo skewers. The skewers can be refrigerated for up to several hours.
When ready to cook, heat a large cast-iron griddle or skillet over medium-high heat until nearly smoking. Cook the skewers for about 3 minutes on each side, until nicely browned. Serve hot, with lemon wedges.
When you cook shrimp this way, the meat stays succulent because it essentially steams within its protective shell as the shrimp fries. The exterior seasoning flavors every bite, and much of the shell is edible, especially the tasty little legs (this is finger food, of course). Fresh wild shrimp in the shell is best, no matter what size. If you use frozen shrimp, choose a sustainable source. Serves 4
¼ teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
¼ teaspoon fennel seeds
¼ teaspoon whole cloves
Half a star anise
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup cornstarch
1½ pounds fresh head-on shrimp or 1 pound medium shrimp in the shell, rinsed and patted dry
Salt and pepper
½ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh green Thai chile or other hot chile
½ cup roughly chopped cilantro
Lime wedges
Grind the Sichuan peppercorns, fennel seeds, cloves, and star anise to a fine powder in a spice mill, and add the cinnamon. Stir this mixture into the cornstarch in a shallow bowl. Dip each shrimp into the seasoned cornstarch, turning to coat, and put them on a plate in one layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok or cast-iron skillet over high heat. When the oil looks wavy, carefully add the shrimp and let them sizzle for about a minute or two on each side, until well crisped. Remove and drain on paper towels.
Transfer the shrimp to a serving dish. Season once more with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the chopped chile and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges, and eat with your fingers.
Tod mun, a favorite appetizer in Thai restaurants, are little fried fish cakes enhanced with the amazing flavor of kaffir lime leaf. They make a fine snack with drinks, served with a sweet, spicy dipping sauce, or add a pot of jasmine rice and a cucumber salad for a simple meal. Although my version is not completely authentic, it’s a fairly faithful homage to the original. Most recipes call for white-fleshed fish, but I like to use sea scallops, which give the cakes a wonderfully light texture. Thai fish cakes are typically deep-fried. These are cooked in a cast-iron skillet in just a little oil, preferably coconut, which adds a sweet and fragrant note. Serves 4
For the scallop cakes
1 pound sea scallops
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white or black pepper
2 teaspoons fish sauce
2 small garlic cloves, smashed to a paste with a little salt
One 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
6 scallions, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons finely chopped serrano or jalapeño chile, or to taste
½ cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
2 small kaffir lime leaves, thinly slivered
1 small egg, lightly beaten
Coconut or peanut oil for shallow-frying
For the dipping sauce
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
¼ cup packed brown sugar
2 or 3 tiny red or green fresh Thai chiles, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped or crushed unsalted roasted peanuts
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon grated ginger
To make the scallop cakes, put the scallops in the bowl of a food processor, add the salt, pepper, fish sauce, garlic, and ginger, and process to a fine paste, about 1 minute. Add the scallions, chile, cilantro, kaffir lime leaves, and egg and pulse a few times to combine well. Transfer to a bowl. The scallop mixture can be refrigerated for up to a day.
To make the dipping sauce, combine all the ingredients in a small serving bowl.
Pour coconut oil to a depth of ¼ inch into a wide cast-iron skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. When the oil is hot, carefully add the scallop mixture in large spoonfuls (fry in batches to avoid crowding), adjust the heat if necessary to allow the cakes to brown gently, and cook for about 3 minutes. Flip them, flatten them gently with a spatula, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, until browned. Drain on paper towels and serve hot, with the dipping sauce.
Composed salads are a staple of old-fashioned French bistro menus, especially at lunchtime. In many, tasty little morsels of some part of a bird are the meaty flourish added to a good green salad—often with those skinny green beans the French love, a crouton or two, and maybe some lardons for good measure. Everything is dressed with a serviceable vinaigrette.
In French, these salads always sound elegant, even if the ingredients are humble, like salade de gésiers—made with duck gizzards. Salade de foie de volaille—that’s chicken livers, bub. But they’re always very tasty.
For fun and added flavor, I use the Indian spice blend garam masala. Usually a mixture of cardamom, black pepper, cumin, clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon, garam masala is easy to make at home in a spice mill, or you can buy it ready-made. Serves 4 to 6
For the vinaigrette
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, smashed to a paste with a little salt
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
For the salad
½ pound small green beans, topped and tailed
Salt
12 chicken livers (about 1 pound), trimmed
2 tablespoons garam masala, homemade (recipe follows) or store-bought
2 tablespoons clarified butter, ghee, or olive oil
18 cherry tomatoes, halved
6 small handfuls salad greens (5 to 6 ounces)
To make the vinaigrette, mix the vinegar, mustard, and garlic in a small bowl. Add a little salt and pepper, and whisk in the oil.
To make the salad, cook the green beans in a pot of boiling salted water until barely tender, about 2 minutes. Drain in a colander, cool under cold water, and set aside.
Pat the livers dry with paper towels, then season on both sides with salt and the garam masala. Heat the butter in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned livers in one layer and let them brown, about 2 minutes. Turn them over and cook for 1 minute more, leaving them pink at the center. Remove from the heat.
Dress the beans and tomatoes with half the vinaigrette, and season with a little salt and pepper. Dress the greens with the rest of the vinaigrette and pile them on a platter or individual plates. Top the greens with the beans, tomatoes, and the warm chicken livers.
garam masala
Makes about 2 tablespoons
1 tablespoon cardamom seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon whole cloves
A 2-inch piece cinnamon stick
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
Grind the cardamom seeds, peppercorns, cumin seeds, cloves, and cinnamon in a spice mill. Transfer to a small jar and stir in the nutmeg.
The rather aggressive seasonings for this tuna dish mimic those used to make a traditional Italian pork roast: fennel seeds and fronds, black pepper, garlic, and rosemary. They seem completely appropriate for tuna’s meaty character. Use the feathery fronds from ordinary fennel bulbs, or wild fennel if it’s available. I think this tuna tastes best at room temperature, so I usually cook it a bit ahead. As for accompaniments, a salad of cannellini beans and green beans comes to mind, as does a tomato salad or just a little spicy arugula. Or perhaps all three. Serves 4 to 6
1½ pounds yellowfin tuna, cut 1½ inches thick
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
1 tablespoon roughly chopped fennel fronds (optional)
½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons roughly chopped rosemary
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
Put the tuna on a plate. Sprinkle evenly on both sides with the fennel seeds, fennel fronds (if using), black pepper, garlic, rosemary, and red pepper flakes. Season on all sides with salt. Drizzle the olive oil over and then massage in the seasonings. Leave at room temperature for 30 minutes, or refrigerate for up to several hours.
Heat a wide cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until nearly smoking. Sear the tuna for about 1 minute on each side, then immediately remove to a serving platter. The fish will continue to cook slightly as it cools, but it should remain rather rare at the center. Cut into thick slices to serve.
There is no denying the universal appeal of potatoes cooked until crisp and golden. This is a version of an irresistible old-school French dish called pommes Anna, heavenly with a steak, a roast chicken, or just about anything. The key to success is to slice the potatoes very thin and not skimp on the butter. Start the galette in a cast-iron pan on the stovetop and finish it in a hot oven. It Serves two civilized people, or one who is gluttonous. Serves 2
1 pound russet or large Yellow Finn potatoes, peeled
4 tablespoons butter, melted
Salt and pepper
Heat the oven to 400°F, with a rack in the top third. Using a mandoline or sharp knife, slice the potatoes as thin as possible, about ¹⁄16 inch. Do not rinse or cover with water—the potatoes’ starch helps keep the galette intact.
Swirl 2 tablespoons of the butter to coat the bottom of a 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Beginning at the center of the pan, arrange the potato slices in a closely overlapping circular pattern, spiraling outward with each row until the pan is completely covered with slices, all in one layer. Continue until all the slices are used. Season the top with salt and pepper to taste, and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter, making sure all the slices are well coated.
Set the pan on a burner over medium-high heat. When the potatoes start to sizzle, let cook for another minute or two, then transfer the pan to the oven. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes, or until beautifully browned. To serve, invert the galette onto a cutting board and carefully cut into quarters; alternatively, invert directly onto a serving platter, leaving in one piece.
The combination of lamb and cumin may conjure up images of Middle Eastern cooking, but lamb and cumin coexist in a number of northern Chinese dishes too—typically paired with lots of hot chile pepper.
During several trips to the vibrant Chinese neighborhood in Flushing, Queens, I found wonderful versions, all equally spicy. In some, lamb breast was braised to utter tenderness and then fried crisp. In others, strips of lamb were stir-fried, as in this recipe. I haven’t met a person yet who doesn’t love it. Serves 3 or 4
1 pound boneless lean lamb, cut into strips ¼ inch wide and 1½ inches long
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
12 small dried red chile peppers, or more if desired
A 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and cut into fine julienne
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
½ cup roughly chopped cilantro
6 scallions, thinly slivered
Put the lamb in a small bowl, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with the cornstarch. Mix with your fingers to combine.
Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or wide cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and dried chiles. When they begin to sizzle, add the lamb, ginger, and garlic, toss well to coat the lamb, and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until the lamb is slightly browned. Add the sesame oil, cilantro, and scallions and transfer to a serving dish.