Cast Iron Skillet Big Flavors (9 page)

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS

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  Place the herbs, salt, garlic, lemon juice, anchovy paste, and mustard in a blender; puree until smooth. With the blender on low, slowly add the olive oil.

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  Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl, and stir in the sour cream until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

¾ cup fresh tarragon leaves

¾ cup fresh snipped chives

¾ cup fresh Italian parsley leaves

½ teaspoon salt

1 clove garlic

¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons anchovy paste

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¾ cup sour cream or plain yogurt

Freshly ground black pepper

imperial stout clams

Pat Donahue, executive chef at Anthony’s Restaurants in the Northwest, developed this delicious recipe for manila clams. Serve as an appetizer with grilled bread for dipping in the sauce.

MAKES 2 TO 4 SERVINGS

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  Wash the clams well and discard any that are broken. In a 10-inch cast iron skillet, melt the butter. Add the bell pepper and onion and sauté just until they start to soften. Sprinkle with the flour and stir to mix into the butter. Add the black pepper, beer, and clam juice. Add the clams, cover, and steam until all the clams are open, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve with a nice loaf of sliced crusty bread.

1 pound manila clams

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

½ red bell pepper, cut into strips ¼ inch by 2 inches

¼ sweet yellow onion, cut into crescent strips

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup dark beer

½ cup clam juice

meatloaf sliders on brioche

These perfectly moist mini-sandwiches are also great for lunch, hot or cold. Serve them up on a platter with your favorite beer or root beer. You’ll find pickled jalapeños in the Mexican or ethnic foods section of most grocery stores.

MAKES 10 TO 12 SERVINGS

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  Preheat the oven to 350°F.

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  To prepare the meatloaf, combine the beef and pork in a large bowl. In a medium bowl mix together the eggs, milk, and Worcestershire sauce, then add to the meat along with the jalapeño, onion, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and chili sauce. Mix well. On a cutting board, divide the meat mixture in half and form into two 3-by-8-inch loaves. Place in a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Bake until a meat thermometer reads 155°F, 35 to 40 minutes. Allow the meatloaf to cool for 10 minutes (or refrigerate) before cutting into 1-inch-thick slices.

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  To prepare the sauce, combine the ketchup, mayonnaise, and relish in a small bowl and set aside.

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  To assemble, toast the brioche. Spread 1 tablespoon of the sauce on each side of the buns. For each sandwich, use 1 slice of meatloaf and 2 or 3 pickled jalapeños, depending on how much heat you like. Top with a few slices of onion and the other bun half. Serve on a platter.

MEATLOAF

1 pound ground beef

½ pound ground pork

2 large eggs

½ cup milk

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon finely diced jalapeño

½ cup finely diced yellow onion

1 cup soft fresh bread crumbs

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup Heinz or other chili sauce

SAUCE

½ cup ketchup

1 cup mayonnaise

¼ cup sweet pickle relish

10 to 12 small brioche or slider buns

¼ cup pickled jalapeños (optional)

½ sweet yellow onion, thinly sliced

ginger crab cakes

The ginger and lemon gives these crab cakes a refreshing taste, complementing the crab without overpowering. You can make small 2-inch cakes at parties as an appetizer or larger 4-inch cakes as a main course. We love to serve these with a Japanese curry sauce called
katsu
; look for it in the Asian and ethnic aisle of your supermarket.

MAKES 12 CAKES

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  Preheat the oven to 225°F.

•
  In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients expect the crab and vegetable oil. Fold in the crabmeat. Form into cakes about 1 inch thick. If the mixture will not form a firm cake, mix in 2 tablespoons more mayonnaise.

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  Cover a baking sheet with layers of paper towels to drain the cakes. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a 10- or 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Gently place 6 cakes in the pan and cook until golden, about 5 minutes on each side, turning the cakes with a spatula. If the pan gets too hot, turn down the heat to medium-low. Transfer the cakes to the paper towel-lined baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm. Add 2 more tablespoons oil to the pan and cook the remaining cakes.

½ cup mayonnaise

1 large egg, beaten

2 teaspoons peeled, finely grated fresh ginger or ginger paste

¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot

1 tablespoon Worcestershire

1 teaspoon lemongrass paste or lemon zest

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 teaspoons prepared Dijon mustard

¼ cup thinly sliced green onions

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup finely crushed saltine crackers

½ pound fresh Dungeness crabmeat

4 tablespoons vegetable oil, for frying

scallion pancakes with lemon crème fraîche sauce, salmon, and sweet and spicy cucumbers

Scallion pancakes are a great appetizer on their own or as a side served alongside a dish such as moo-shu pork. Once you get into the swing of things, you’ll realize how easy these pancakes are to make. You can prepare a batch or two and freeze them for later use, but there is nothing better than eating these hot from the skillet. Be sure to start marinating the cucumbers the day before so the flavor has time to develop.

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

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  To prepare the cucumbers, place them in a small bowl and toss with 2 teaspoons of the salt so the slices release excess moisture. After about 5 minutes, lightly rinse the cucumbers, then pat dry with paper towels.

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  In a medium nonreactive bowl, combine the remaining salt, vinegar, sugar, water, and ginger. Add the cucumbers to the marinade and gently toss. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or overnight. The flavor gets better after the second day. They will keep for 5 to 7 days.

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  To prepare the crème fraîche sauce, in a small bowl, combine the crème fraîche, lemon juice and zest, and salt. Stir until smooth.

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  To prepare the pancakes, in a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the hot water and mix well with a wooden spoon until incorporated. Bring the dough together and knead for a few minutes; if the dough is still sticky, add a little more flour. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rest for 30 minutes.

SWEET AND SPICY CUCUMBERS

1 English cucumber, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices

3 teaspoons salt, divided

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

⅔ cup water

3 thin slices unpeeled ginger

LEMON CRÈME FRAÎCHE SAUCE

1½ cups crème fraîche, or sour cream thinned with ¼ cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

½ teaspoon salt

SCALLION PANCAKES

2 cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt