Cooking with cast iron

By Sharon Thompson

McClatchy Newspapers

Cooks are always eager to try the latest cookware. Brushed stainless steel, triple-ply stainless, enameled cast iron or enamel on steel are what gourmet cooks covet — even though some are costlier than a new range top.

But if you have an old cast-iron skillet in your cabinet, it’s more valuable than you might think.

Jim Nance of Georgetown, Ky., searches for old cast-iron implements, restores and resells them. There are collectors around the country who will pay thousands for a rare find.

Nance, a retired associate professor in the College of Education at the University of Kentucky, began his collection of cast iron in the late ‘70s. He and his wife, Jan, did a lot of camping and outdoor cooking. In 1981, Nance attended an outdoors workshop for educators at Jackson Hole, Wyo., where he was inspired by noted outdoor cooking expert Dian Thomas.

From then on, the Nances began their search for unusual pieces of cast iron. Valuable ones are identified by distinctive marks on the back. Griswold, Wagner and Erie are the names you’ll want to find, although a skillet without a name can be identified by Nance and other collectors.

Nance said selecting cast-iron cookware to restore or use is like “hunting for buried treasure.”

“You never know what you’ll find under the carbon-grease buildup,” he said.

Corn bread recipes are as plentiful as grandmas, but here’s a good one that’s easy to make and remember. Danna M. Brewer of Hazel Green, Ky., sent this recipe to the Lexington, Ky., Herald-Leader in the early ‘90s.

Raised in Ohio, she came to Kentucky when she married and “had to learn about Southern cooking,” she said.

“My mother-in-law took pity on me and helped me to learn a whole new way of cooking,” she said. “My mother always made good biscuits, but her corn bread was not Southern-style. I have learned to change some recipes to keep up with new products on the market. When the cornmeal mix came to the market, I gradually changed my corn bread recipe to use it. If ever someone asks me about making corn bread, I tell them to remember 2-2-2 and a pinch.”

DANNA’S CORN BREAD

2 cups cornmeal mix

2 eggs

2 cups buttermilk

Pinch of soda

½ cup shortening

Mix the first 4 ingredients in a bowl. Melt shortening in a 9-inch cast-iron skillet. Pour most of the melted shortening into the batter. While pan is still hot, pour batter back into it. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

When done, invert corn bread onto a plate. The bottom should be crisp, and the center should be moist. This batter can be used for corn muffins, corn sticks or fried corn bread.

Upside-down cake is a classic cast-iron dish. While the cake bakes, the brown sugar and butter caramelize to create a gooey, tasty topping.

PINEAPPLE-COCONUT UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Topping:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

¾ cup packed light brown sugar

1 can sliced pineapple

Batter:

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon coconut-flavored rum

1½ cups all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons ground cardamom

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup unsweetened pineapple juice

¼ cup toasted coconut flakes for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For topping: Melt butter in a well-seasoned 9-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add brown sugar and melt, stirring constantly, until bubbling, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat, add pineapple rings in one even layer, and set aside.

For the batter: Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add sugar and beat until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Beat in vanilla and coconut rum. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cardamom, baking powder and salt. Add half the flour mixture to the egg mixture and beat on low speed just until blended. Add pineapple juice and beat on low to incorporate; add remaining flour mixture, beating until just incorporated.

Spoon batter over pineapple rings, smoothing the top evenly. Bake on center rack of oven until golden brown and a skewer inserted in middle comes out clean, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. To remove from skillet, run a sharp knife around the edge to release the sides. Invert a cake plate or service platter over the skillet and invert the cake onto the plate, keeping pan and plate firmly pressed together. The cake should drop from the skillet onto the plate.

Drizzle cake with additional coconut rum, top with toasted coconut flakes, and serve.

—From “Cast Iron Cooking” by Dwayne Ridgeway.

CHARRED TOMATO AND CHICKEN TACOS

1 pound ripe plum tomatoes, cored (about 4 to 5)

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 large white onion, finely chopped (about 1½ cups)

2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and very finely chopped

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

4 scallions, chopped

12 corn tortillas, warmed

¼ cup reduced-fat sour cream for garnish

2 limes, cut into quarters

Heat large cast-iron skillet over high heat until very hot. Place tomatoes in skillet and turn occasionally with tongs until charred on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool slightly. Cut in half crosswise; squeeze to discard seeds. Chop remaining pulp and skins; set aside.

Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan and heat over high heat until oil is very hot. Add chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is browned on all sides and no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium and add remaining teaspoon oil. Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and jalapenos and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Add lime juice and reserved chicken and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and stir in cilantro and scallions. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm.

Spoon filling into warm tortillas, roll up and serve with sour cream and lime wedges.

Note: Wrap tortillas in barely damp paper towels and microwave on high for 30 to 45 seconds.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 310 calories, 7 g. fat, 68 mg. cholesterol; 35 g. carbohydrates, 28 g. protein, ?6 g. fiber, 140 mg. sodium.

Source: Eating Well