Iron Chefs

january 2007

Iron Chefs

What do Chef Brandon Boudet of Dominick’s in West Hollywood, celebrity chef Paula Deen and your Grandma Mae have in common? Their love of cast iron skillets. This cookware is one of the most distinctive symbols of Americana.

“The pan is so dense it retains heat even with the introduction of cold ingredients and can create products with a great sear or crust,” explains Chef Eddy Shin of Chapter 8 Steakhouse in Agoura Hills, Calif.

It used to be essential to “season” cast iron cookware. But today, Lodge cookware, one of the largest producers of cast iron pans, makes pre-seasoned skillets. Whether you have the original or pre-seasoned cookware, be sure not to commit the cardinal sin of cast iron care—washing it in soap and water. Lodge recommends cleaning it with a stiff brush and hot water, toweling dry and applying a coating of vegetable oil while it’s warm.


Crispy Iron Skillet Chicken

Executive Chef Eddy Shin at Chapter 8 Steakhouse in Agoura Hills, Calif., uses a cast iron skillet for his chicken, which he starts on the stovetop and finishes in the oven. This dish is best served immediately out of the oven.


Ingredients
2 bone-in chicken breast halves or leg quarters
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
3 tablespoons canola, peanut or vegetable oil


Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 450F.
2. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat. Add oil and place chicken skin side down in the pan.
3. Cook 7 to 8 minutes or until a crispy crust forms. Place in oven and bake 15 to 20 minutes. Pierce chicken with a fork near; if juices run clear, chicken is done. Serves 2.
Nutritional Information
Per serving: 340 calories, 24g fat, 30g prot., 0g carbs., 0g fiber, 670mg sodium.

By Charyn Pfeuffer, a freelance writer in Monterey, Calif.


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