cast iron cooking

I've been on a tamale pie kick ever since updating my mom's classic recipe a couple months ago by adding a brown butter cornbread crust. Essentially an olive-packed chili baked underneath a sweet cornbread crust, it's one of the all-in-one comfort classics that never fails to bring big smiles and full bellies in its wake. This 100% vegetarian version is no different.

Quick and Easy Vegetarian Tamale Pie With Brown Butter Cornbread Crust Recipe

olive oil

corn kernels corn

onion,

red bell pepper, diced

poblano pepper, diced

salt and black pepper

garlic,

Serrano pepper, minced

cumin (preferably from whole seeds)

coriander (preferably from whole seeds)

oregano

ancho chili powder

green olives, sliced

soy sauce

black beans, drained and rinsed

kidney

cheddar cheese (about 1 cup)

scallions, thinly sliced

cilantro

For the Brown Butter Cornbread Crust:

unsalted butter

(about 5 ounces) fine yellow cornmeal

(about 5 ounces) all-purpose flour

sugar

baking powder

baking soda

eggs

(about 3/4 cup) sour cream

(about 1/4 cup) cultured buttermilk

scallions

red jalapeño pepper, finely minced

Sour cream,

Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 425°F. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven, or saucepan over high heat until lightly smoking. Add corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until corn is well charred in spots, about 4 minutes. Add onion, bell pepper, and poblano pepper, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned, about 3 minutes. 

Add garlic, Serrano pepper, cumin, coriander, oregano, and chili powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add olives, soy sauce, tomatoes, black beans, and kidney beans. Bring to a simmer and adjust heat to maintain. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thick and fragrant, about 20 minutes. Stir in grated cheese, scallions, and cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

For the Brown Butter Cornbread Crust: Heat butter in a 12-inch cast iron or stainless steel skillet over medium heat until melted. Continue to cook, swirling pan gently until butter is nutty-smelling and solids are a toasty brown. Transfer to a heatproof cup or bowl and let rest until slightly cooler, about five minutes. 

Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Combine eggs, sour cream, and buttermilk in a second bowl and whisk until homogenous. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in reserved browned butter. Whisk wet ingredients into dry ingredients until homogenous. Fold in scallions and jalapeño pepper.

Transfer bean mixture to a large cast iron skillet. Using a large spoon, place small dollops of the cornbread batter mixture on top of the bean filling, then use the back of the spoon to spread it into an even layer. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until pale golden brown and a skewer inserted into the cornbread comes out clean, about 20 minutes. 

Let cool 15 minutes, then serve with sour cream.

This recipe starts off with crumbled Italian sausage cooked down in a bit of butter. I sauté a few types of mushrooms in the rendered fat, then flavor them with shallots, garlic, and a little bit of soy sauce and lemon juice. They get finished in a simple creamy sauce flavored with Parmesan cheese. Add some pasta, top it all of with crisp bread crumbs, bake it directly in the cast iron pan you cooked it in, and you've got yourself a one-skillet meal fit for normal everyday folks who perhaps might occasionally feel like kings.

Crispy Baked Pasta With Mushrooms, Sausage, and Parmesan Cream Sauce Recipe

bread crumbs

Parmesan cheese

parsley leaves

chives

small shallots, finely minced (about 1/2 cup)

garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)

Italian sausage (mild

mushrooms

juice lemon

all-purpose flour

chicken stock

heavy cream

pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and keep at a bare simmer. Combine bread crumbs, 2 ounces cheese, half of parsley, half of chives, 1/4 of shallots, 1/4 of garlic, and olive oil in a medium bowl and massage with hands until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Melt butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until foaming. Add sausage and cook, mashing it with a potato masher or a wooden spoon until broken up and well browned, about 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer sausage to a small bowl, leaving fat behind.

Increase heat to high, add mushrooms to skillet, and cook, stirring frequently, until moisture has evaporated and mushrooms are well-browned, about 10 minutes. Add shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add soy sauce and lemon juice and stir to combine.

Add flour and cook, stirring, until a thin film begins to form on the bottom of the pan, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in chicken broth followed by heavy cream. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in remaining grated cheese until melted. Stir in remaining parsley and chives. Stir in sausage. Season to taste with salt and lots of black pepper.

Adjust rack to 10 inches below broiler element and preheat broiler to high. Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions, removing it when still just shy of al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid. Return to pot. Add mushroom mixture and stir to combine, adding liquid to adjust consistency. Pasta should be very loose but not soupy. Return to cast iron skillet and top with bread crumbs. Broil until golden brown, rotating pan as necessary, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

Once upon a time, soda bread was baked over hot coals in a covered skillet, trapping steam from the dough to produce a wonderfully crusty loaf of bread—a setup anyone can re-create in a Dutch oven. Teamed up with low-protein all-purpose flour and volatile baking soda, buttermilk hits the sweet spot of gluten and carbon dioxide formation, creating a moist and fluffy soda bread that's chewy and crusty all at once.

Real Irish Soda Bread Recipe

all-purpose flour,

(6 grams) baking soda (see note)

low-fat cultured buttermilk (2 1/4 cups; 510 grams), well shaken

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 450°F (230°C) at least 15 minutes in advance. Roughly cover the bottom of a deep 10-inch cast iron or enameled Dutch oven with a sheet of parchment paper; no need to trim.

Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl and whisk a full minute to combine. Stir in buttermilk with a flexible spatula until dough is fully moistened and no pockets of flour remain. For extra-fluffy results, stop folding as soon as dough comes together. For extra-chewy results, fold dough about 20 seconds more. Scrape sticky dough into prepared Dutch oven and smooth with a spatula into a rough boule-like shape. Score deeply into quarters with a sharp knife or razor, cleaning the blade between each slice.

Cover and bake until well risen and golden, 45 minutes. Remove lid and continue baking until chestnut brown, with an internal temperature of 210°F (99°C), 12 to 15 minutes longer. Invert onto a wire rack, discard parchment, turn right side up, and cool until crumb has set, about 30 minutes. Cut thick slices to accompany hearty soups and stews, or slice thinly for sandwiches. (This will be easier if bread is allowed to cool 2 hours more.) Store up to 24 hours in an airtight container and toast to freshen bread before serving.

An easy weeknight dinner that tastes like you put way more effort into it. This gluten free recipe takes delicious tamales that require a lot of time and effort and simplifies them into a fun and fast recipe.

Ground Beef Skillet Tamales

beef

t cumin

c adobo sauce

tomatoes,

c cilantro, chopped

green onion, sliced

corn

chicken broth

c chicken broth, heated to steaming

c masa flour

lard

1-2 T adobo sauce

t baking powder

t salt

avocado

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a cast iron skillet, brown your beef,...

In a cast iron skillet, brown your beef, using a spoon to break it into small pieces as it cooks. Season the beef with the taco seasoning and cumin. While this is cooking, heat 1 cup of the chicken broth in a pot until it is steaming and set aside.

As your meat browns, chop your tomatoes. Prep...

As your meat browns, chop your tomatoes. Prep your cilantro by chopping it and your green onion by slicing it (the green and white parts) at the same time.

Once your meat has browned, drain it as...

Once your meat has browned, drain it as needed. Add 1/2 cup of chicken broth (the part you didn't heat), tomatoes, and adobo sauce and stir. Reduce your heat to low, and prepare your masa dough.

In a bowl, mix together the masa flour,...

In a bowl, mix together the masa flour, salt, and baking powder. Pour in your hot broth and mix. Add the lard and adobo sauce, then beat until fluffy. Your masa should hold together when squeeze but still be fairly wet. Add more chicken broth if needed and stir again.

Turn the heat off your meat filling and...

Turn the heat off your meat filling and add the cilantro, green onion, and corn. Stir to combine, then add the masa. Scoop the masa onto your skillet in dollops. Using your fingers, carefully spread it out across the top and squeeze the gaps together carefully. It does not need to be perfect.

Cover with tin foil so the mixture steams...

Cover with tin foil so the mixture steams and bake for twenty minutes at 350 degrees. After 20 minutes, remove the foil and continue baking uncovered for another 10 minutes, until the masa is cooked through.

Remove and let cool for a few minutes...

Remove and let cool for a few minutes before serving so that it sets up. Serve with avocado or sour cream, as desired.

If you enjoy the rich earthy smokiness of a good smoked fish, Easy Homemade Smoked Salmon needs to be your next kitchen conquest!

Easy Homemade Smoked Salmon

eggs (brought to room temperature)

milk

Dijon mustard

black pepper

Kosher salt

leeks (thinly sliced)

red onion (thinly sliced)

shallot (minced)

chives (fresh, chopped)

dill (fresh, torn, divided)

cream cheese

salmon

capers (rinsed and well drained)

goat cheese

leftover hash brown potatoes (brought to room temperature)

Roma tomatoes (sliced 1/4-inch thickness)

sundried tomatoes (well-drained, chopped)

spinach (fresh, chopped)

English peas

Preheat the oven to 400° F.

Place eggs, heavy cream, whole milk, and the Dijon into the barrel of a food processor. Pulse 8 to 10 times or until eggs are frothy and ingredients are well incorporated. Add salt and pepper and pulse 2 more times.

Add butter to a heavy cast iron or other oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and the red onion and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the shallot and sauté 1 minutes more. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Using a metal spatula, loosen the leeks and onions and shallot is there is any sticking.

Scatter the chives, half the dill, any add-ins (I am using leftover hash brown potatoes which I have brought to room temperature), the smoked salmon, the cream cheese cubes, and half the capers.

Pour the egg mixture over the salmon and other ingredients in the skillet. Top with the crumbled goat cheese.

Cook for 3 minutes over medium heat, undisturbed. Avoid the urge to move or stir the eggs in any way. Carefully transfer the skillet to the preheated oven.

Bake until the top is golden brown and the frittata is set; about 35 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes, then garnish with the remaining torn dill. Cut and serve warm.

The Method

Dutch Oven Cornbread

corn meal

flour

salt

butter

buttermilk

Pre-heat Dutch oven

Get the Dutch oven hot. You are aiming for 425 degrees

melt butter

In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients. Stir in the buttermilk. Stir in most of the melted butter, leaving enough to coat the sides of the Dutch oven and pool a little in the bottom. Pour batter into Dutch oven

Bake

In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients. Stir in the buttermilk. Stir in most of the melted butter, leaving enough to coat the sides of the Dutch oven and pool a little in the bottom. Pour batter into Dutch oven.

Use few coals under the oven and more on top. Check at ten minutes. Pay attention for signs of rapid cooking down the edges. If the edges appear to be cooking too rapidly, you are in danger of scorching the bottom - move some coals from beneath the oven to the lid, If renewing coals, add to the top first. Rotate the lid and oven 1/4 turn opposite directions when checking bread at ten and twenty minutes. Cornbread is done when firm, golden and cooked through[; twenty-five minutes or so with a hot oven, but it can be twice that if your heat fails.

This Cast Iron Salmon recipe contains all the useful tips and tricks you need to cook a perfect skin on salmon filet every time. It&#x27;s an easy, healthy weeknight dinner option you can make in around ten minutes.

Simple Cast Iron Salmon

lemon

Italian seasoning

pepper

Allow the fish to come to room temperature...

Allow the fish to come to room temperature before pan frying.

Pat the salmon dry and season all over...

Pat the salmon dry and season all over with salt and pepper.

Coat the cast iron skillet well in olive...

Coat the cast iron skillet well in olive oil, then heat it to medium high. The oil should be shimmering before you add the fish.

Place the salmon, skin side down and reduce...

Place the salmon, skin side down and reduce heat to medium low. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and a squirt of lemon juice.

Allow the fish to fry skin side down,...

Allow the fish to fry skin side down,  undisturbed, until it becomes crispy (about 5 minutes for an inch thick filet). If you find the filets are buckling, you can press down on them firmly with a fish spatula.

When the skin is crispy and the sides...

When the skin is crispy and the sides of the salmon filet turns from a translucent pink to opaque lighter colour from the bottom up to the top, flip the fish over and cook the rest of the way. The skin should release nicely from the pan at this point.

Cook for another minute, until the salmon reaches...

Cook for another minute, until the salmon reaches medium rare (120 F) or medium (125 F to 130F) when a thermometer is inserted into the middle of the thickest part of the filet.

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/mojd5aosonos1eophre3.mp4

This Cast Iron Salmon recipe contains all the useful tips and tricks you need to cook a perfect skin on salmon fillet every time. It’s an easy, healthy weeknight dinner option you can make in around ten minutes.

Cast Iron Skillet

Wedged cabbage pieces are seared in a pan and then transferred to the oven at 350F to braise in a broth "sauce" for 30 minutes. Final touch is a quick oven roast of the cabbage wedges at 450F to crisp them up.

Seared and Braised Cabbage Wedges

Tbsp vegetable oil

vegetable broth

Bring a 12" oven safe skillet to medium high heat and add enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom. 

Sear the cabbage wedges on both flat sides for ~ 4 minutes each side or until browned.  You may need to do this in batches if the cabbage is too big for the pan.

Once simmering, cover with aluminum foil or oven safe lid and transfer to oven for 30 minutes total, but carefully flip cabbage to the other side after 15 minutes of cooking.

Remove aluminum foil / lid and turn oven up to 450F and cook an additional 5-7 minutes or until top of cabbage is browned.  Watch carefully so it doesn't burn.

Serve cabbage wedges with remaining sauce.  Add salt to taste.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQrq1FtZ0T0

Recipe: https://eatsimplefood.com/braised-and-roasted-cabbage-wedges/

Cabbage wedges are seared in a cast iron skillet and then transferred to the oven and braised in broth at 350F for 30 minutes. Final touch is a quick oven roast of the cabbage wedges at 450F to crisp them up.

Serve braised and roasted cabbage wedges with a complimentary easy main dish like: coconut red lentils, perfect strip steak, or easy pan fried chicken thighs.

Variations on Braised and Roasted Cabbage Wedges
The beauty of a simple cabbage wedge recipe is really showing a simple technique that can be expanded on.

Some ideas to change up this versatile cooked cabbage wedge recipe include:

changing the broth: vegetable, chicken, beef
a splash or two of vinegar or wine: apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, white wine
splash of fresh lemon or orange juice and zest
favorite fresh or dried herbs: rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage...
favorite spices: curry, coriander, paprika, chili powder, cumin, turmeric...
Add some cheese: Parmesan cheese, feta cheese, colby jack...

Tips For How To Cook Cabbage Wedges
Keep most if not all of the cabbage stem intact so that the wedges stay together. So cut the wedges with the stem in mind.
Use a cast iron pan if you have it. Cast iron holds heat well and heats evenly and can go from the stovetop to the oven.
It's hard to penetrate a raw cabbage wedge with salt so don't salt it until it's softer. I salt once after the sear lightly. I salt once during the flip lightly. The broth should have enough salt to flavor it. Salt can always be added later.

Use An Ovenproof Skillet For Braised and Roasted Cabbage Wedges
These pictures and video show using a cast iron skillet being used for braised and roasted cabbage wedges.

Use any skillet you want to cook cabbage wedges, but make sure that it can go straight from the stovetop to the oven.

See notes below for baking cabbage wedges in the oven and skipping the sear.

Easier Braised and Roasted Cabbage Wedges
Sometimes it's ok to skip some steps when there's not enough time or energy to sear and roast the cabbage wedges. I get it and I go that route sometimes too.

If energy levels are low then skip searing and roasting the cabbage wedges and bake them instead. Having said that, it does not make this braised cabbage wedge recipe faster. It just makes it easier.

Nestle cabbage wedges into a baking dish.
Bake for 1 hour in the broth covered. Turn the wedges once at 30 minutes.
Check for desired tenderness.
Serve with broth sauce and add salt to taste. Eat!

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 medium head of cabbage, stem left on, cut into 4-6 wedges
• 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F
• Bring a 12" oven safe skillet to medium high heat and add enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom. 
• Sear the cabbage wedges on both flat sides for ~ 4 minutes each side or until browned.  You may need to do this in batches if the cabbage is too big for the pan.
• Add broth and bring to a simmer.
• Once simmering, cover with aluminum foil or oven safe lid and transfer to oven for 30 minutes total, but carefully flip cabbage to the other side after 15 minutes of cooking.
• Remove aluminum foil / lid and turn oven up to 450F and cook an additional 5-7 minutes or until top of cabbage is browned.  Watch carefully so it doesn't burn.
• Serve cabbage wedges with remaining sauce.  Add salt to taste.

Top 8 cast iron cooking recipes from across the web

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Top Tags

Quick and Easy Vegetarian Tamale Pi...

Crispy Baked Pasta With Mushrooms, ...

Real Irish Soda Bread Recipe

Ground Beef Skillet Tamales

Easy Homemade Smoked Salmon

Dutch Oven Cornbread

Simple Cast Iron Salmon

Seared and Braised Cabbage Wedges

Top 8 cast iron cooking recipes from across the web

The most viewed cast iron cooking recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Quick and Easy Vegetarian Tamale Pi...

Crispy Baked Pasta With Mushrooms, ...

Real Irish Soda Bread Recipe

Ground Beef Skillet Tamales

Easy Homemade Smoked Salmon

Dutch Oven Cornbread

Simple Cast Iron Salmon

Seared and Braised Cabbage Wedges

The most viewed cast iron cooking recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine