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November 2021 Challenge: Cast Iron

8K views 53 replies 11 participants last post by  morning glory 
#1 · (Edited)
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That's right folks. A different sort of theme, based on equipment. We do ingredients, we do techniques, we do locations. Now we are doing cast iron, in various forms. You can make anything you want, as long as the primary cooking vessel is cast iron. It could be fried chicken done is a skillet full of Crisco. It could be a burger done on a griddle. Make a batch of black eye pea in an enameled dutch oven, served with jalapeno cheese cornbread from an 8 inch skillet. Or cook outside in a dutch oven over a bed of coals, or grill up some steaks on a cast iron grate on your grill. Maybe you have a cast iron wok, and you are in the mood for some beef and gai lan stirfry. Or your Thanksgiving fowl in a large enameled roaster.

The sky is the limit, Have fun!

The Rules:
The challenge begins on the 1st of every month. The last entry must be made by the last day of the month.
You may post multiple entries.
All entries must be cooked during the month of the challenge.
If you use a documented recipe, please cite your source.
Entries should include the name of your dish and a picture of the final product. Sharing personal recipes and pictures of the process are not mandatory but extremely helpful.
The winner is chosen by the person who posted the challenge, and is announced after the last day of submissions. The decision is final and falls entirely at the discretion of the challenger.
Submitting an entry makes you eligible to win. If you do not wish to be considered for the win you may still participate in the challenge, but make your wishes known to the challenger.
The winner's bounty includes praise, virtual high-fives, and the responsibility of posting the next month's challenge. That entails choosing a theme, posting a Challenge thread that includes the guidelines, checking in on the submissions regularly during the month, and promptly choosing a winner at the end of the challenge.

mjb.
 
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#9 · (Edited)
I wish I was doing a video of blackened shrimp one time. I had all the spices on the shrimp, butter melted, dry cast iron skillet on high heat. It was definitely heated up when I started cooking. The first butter drenched shrimp I put in it burst into flames!

It was a good batch.

mjb.
 
#11 ·
Tonight was Aglio e Olio. Large chunks of garlic in EVOO in my cast iron skillet. I chose to use cast because it's a much gentler heat as I wanted the garlic to slow cook to a nice golden brown. As the pasta was about half way I added 16-20 Argentine shrimp to the pan the removed when done and in went the pasta, parsley, and some Pecorino Romano and pasta water. It got nice and creamy and the garlic was like candy.



 
#12 ·
It's Friday. Or more specifically, Buck a Shuck Friday at whole paycheck foods. Maybe I'll see what they have and get a few. And get some nice shrimp. I could see slurping down a few oysters before doing another batch of blackened shrimp. And perhaps boil up some fingerling potatoes with garlic and rosemary, serve them with a "wee knob of butter" that's been melted.

And I'll try to just cook the shrimp this time, not set them on fire.

mjb.
 
#15 ·
Short ribs on my Raichlen cast iron grill.
It comes with legs, but those are a bit short and in a box somewhere, so I used it on the bottom section of the Weber Smokey Mountain - baby size ;)

It first needed a bit of cleaning/seasoning
Manhole Manhole cover Sanitary sewer Storm drain Wood

And it comes with a cast iron handle to move the grid. Leaning against one of those essential braai accessories when it is 40 + oC outside (daytime high of 46-47)
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Short rib was seasoned with left over seasoning from the American challenge and put on the screaming hot grid
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I kept moving and turning it and it turned into an awesome piece of meat!
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#16 ·
And now for my previous problem entry:

Mostly fresh ingredients from the garden with previously cooked caramalised onions (from a pissalidiere cook up)
And looking at whatever I had and felt like. I had a craving for capers.
Assembled the lot for a picture, still not knowing if this was going to be a SE Asian dish or a meditterean one ;)
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It turned into a mediterean dish and it should be a classic as I got blown away with the results!
I sort of sweated/fried the bacon with a bit of olive oil in this enamelled cast iron pot
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While cooking the bacon, I couldn't resist a little home made cider
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Then added the onions, garlic, and chili, followed by yellow pepper and eggplant
Capers and an egg got added at last minute, with the caper brine and it all got tossed with green pasta
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#18 · (Edited)
Enchiladas con queso

Although I believe the very essence of an enchilada is the cheese, they are often filled with meat too. These are the most basic, rustic, home-style enchilada imaginable... made even more tasty by cooking on a cast iron plancha.

Ingredients - leftover maize tortillas, leftover cheese (any Mexican cheese will work but best if a "melting type" - in this case it is an Italian variant known as provolone) - and leftover salsa rojo (a basic red chile sauce). See the trend? This is what one does with right leftovers!

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Process - Dip tortilla in salsa. Fry first side on cast iron plancha to warm.

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Flip and add cheese, fry other side until done. Then fold like an enchilada: in half and then in half again like a flacid tube.

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Product - Cheese enchiladas with pico de gallo and crema.

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Contrast those with these, which are more of the typical Southern California restaurant style. These, not leftovers but the initial round and baked rather than fried, are filled with Oaxaca cheese and fire-roasted poblano chile. Served with refried beans.

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#19 ·
Very nice. It is a cold, rainy night here in Salt Lake, some basic, warm comfort food is what is needed. Enchiladas would be nice, but I plan to eat the leftover shrimp puttanesca from yesterday.

mjb.
 
#21 ·
Here's my red cast iron pot.
Last of the coloured ones, from now on, it will be black. Unless one of the coloured ones makes a re-appearance ;)
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We're going for freestyle tikka massala (from Patak), but with bacon.

The yellow pepper will go in a quick pickle with some of the red onion and garlic.

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Frying the onions and garlic is a pleasure in this pot. Glad I decided to use it as we had major winds blowing. Extinguishing my stove at times. At least the pot stayed hot!
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Added bacon
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Then the paste, tamarind and yoghurt and stewed for probably 30-40 minutes
Then added the leek of the red onions and that was it

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#22 ·
Today was a really funky day. It was so dark at 11:am that the street light were on . . . then the wind came then the rain . . . sideways in sheets. So what do you do on a day like this? Beef stew came to mind so - I thawed some top round, made my mirepoix and thickly sliced garlic. I seasoned up some flour, dredged my cubed beef and cooked that off in bacon drippings and EVOO. I had cooked some bacon last night so I sweated my mirepoix in that pan to deglaze it when it was almost soft I added a big dollop of tomato paste and let that cook. Then I added a cup of red wine and cooked that off. Mean while in the pot I browned my meat in I added a quart of beef stock to deglaze that. When they were both ready it was "everyone in the pool". A couple of fresh bay leaves, some fresh thyme and some chopped parsley. Set it for low and slow and oops - time for a beer. Creamer potatoes went in an hour before service, adjust the seasoning and Oh my perfect for a day like today.

Look at the fond in that pot -


I tastes amazing and can't wait for the next day -


I love French cast iron -
 
#26 ·
Braised Korean Style Short Ribs with Chicken

The package of short ribs were Korean style. I was expecting American style. Plus, there are six of us, and only 5 ribs in the pack. So, i braised a chicken breast along with the ribs First, a little butter was placed into the enameled CI Dutch oven, followed by roughly chopped oni9on, and garlic. This was cooked until the onions were translucent. "Next came a half pound of whole button mushrooms, with the heat turned to simmer. When the mushrooms were just starting to brown a little, everything was removed from the pot, and the short ribs added with a little salt and pepper. The ribs cooked until they had browned on both sides. I then added carrot chunks, fresh basil leaves, and the chicken. i covered it all in water, and simmered for 1 hour. I tasted the broth and corrected the seasoning. i removed the chicken and cubed it, then back into the pot. To my surprise, the chicken went very well with the beef broth. After simmering another hour, i made a batch or roux, then thinned it to a thin paste with the broth. i added the paste into the pot, and it made a delicious gravy. "Now, I just need to determine what to put it over.

Pictures:

Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
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