Simple magic of cast iron

Your favorite pan in the kitchen, the one that delivers the best results time and again, inspires a special kind of love. A love that can't be tempered by rust nor by achy arm muscles. This is an ode to the cast-iron skillet.

No one remembers purchasing his first cast-iron skillet, as Ellen Brown points out in her well-researched The New Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook (Sterling Epicure). Like umbrellas, they come into our lives full of functional possibility, often well-used, patiently waiting at the ready for us to discover their indispensable place in the kitchen.

Add cast iron to the list of items that people have revived in this new century (beards, pickles, rye whiskey), things that never really went away, but that deserve a new look.

"Cast iron has always been popular, and it's the cookware we usually sell to young people who don't have as much money to invest in something like, say, All-Clad," says Mariella Esposito, owner of Fante's in the Italian Market. "A cast-iron skillet is a forever pan, and it works great on induction, which is not something you can say of other inexpensive pans."

Aside from cost, the number-one reason to cook with cast iron is flavor, pure and simple. There is no better sear on a steak, no crispier skin on a piece of fish, no sweeter and browner way to caramelize onions. Even roast chicken on a bed of vegetables goes to greater heights with the cast iron's alchemy.

Cast iron can travel from stovetop to oven or broiler or even grill without so much a blink of a toxin-concerned eye, making it the absolutely ideal vessel for a frittata and its international brethren (tortillas, kukus, tajine jben), not to mention such rice dishes as paella, pilaf, and oven risotto.

These pans have a sturdiness and versatility that's unsurpassed by most stovetop cookware. Naturally, eggs, potatoes, proteins are all great candidates. Quesadillas, pancakes, fritters, French toast, yes, with an added edge of crunch.

That's not even mentioning fried chicken. "You can fry anything in a cast-iron skillet, but nothing is better for chicken," says Esposito. "I never bought an electric deep fryer, because I never needed to."

Then there are the complete meal-in-a-pan possibilities: mac and cheese, deconstructed lasagna, one-pan pot pies, and casseroles. The chapter on cast iron in Martha Stewart Living's book One Pot (Clarkson Potter, 2014) demonstrates the balanced dishes that can be whipped up in a skillet: pork chops with a warm escarole salad; shrimp with orzo and tomatoes; chicken with lemon, green olives, and potatoes; and an especially winning turkey skillet pie with the flavors of chili, topped with crumbly cheddar buttermilk biscuits.

Chef Joe Cicala of Brigantessa likes to make eggplant parmesan and Roman gnocchi in his cast-iron ware. These work especially well in the restaurant's wood-fired oven.

"It's a great material that heats up quickly, and it's extremely versatile," says Cicala, who also uses the pans for bread, baked pastas, and searing and roasting vegetables and meats, among other things.

"You see people in southern Italy making big stews over an open fire in a big cast-iron pot, similar to how we might think of people in the American West making chili," Cicala says.

These elemental workhorses can also double as baking pans. Cornbread is a natural, but so, too, are upside-down cakes both savory (Brown's Cherry Tomato Tarte Tatin is a knockout) and sweet. Bread puddings, glazed sweet buns, even baked fruit fares beautifully atop its evenly conducted heat.

Brown highlights some of the other advantages to cooking with cast iron: the health benefit of leached iron, particularly for women. When well-seasoned, these pans are as close to nonstick as you can get without the questionable chemical compounds that have many consumers turning away from the officially slicked alternatives.

As with retro beards, the cast-iron pot takes some ongoing, loving maintenance. But it's probably not nearly as daunting as it would seem to the Teflon generation. For one thing, most pans can be purchased pre-seasoned (all of Fante's stock, for example, comes ready to use).

Even seasoned pans need to be reseasoned now and again. To season the pan, you can follow this advice from The Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook (Sasquatch, 2013): Dry the pan, and lightly coat it with Crisco shortening. Set it upside down on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit in the oven for one hour. Turn off the heat, and let pan cool completely in the oven.

As for cleaning, the rumors are true. You can't throw a cast-iron skillet into the dishwasher, and soap is ill-advised unless you've used the pan to cook fish or meat, and you now want to use it for baking a cake. For general cleaning, kosher salt with a brush can help remove much of the surface debris and obviate the need for water. But for tough, caked-on bits, you can run the pan under very hot water (preferably when it's still hot from cooking - use a pot holder) and scrape it with a nylon pad or plastic brush. In any case, make sure the pan is completely dry after cleaning, then add a few drops of oil to the surface, rubbing it in to maintain that inky sheen.

Alas, there's no getting around the weight of a cast-iron skillet. A 12-inch pan can weigh nine pounds, and that's just not doable for many cooks. However, with two hands (borrowed if necessary) and pure determination, you can still sling your hash, and make it crisp.

Makes 4-6 servings

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3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 large, sweet onions such as Vidalia or Bermuda, halved and thinly sliced

Salt and ground black pepper

5 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup chopped, pitted, oil-cured black olives

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1 1/2 pints (about 1 pound) cherry or grape tomatoes (mixed colors look prettier)

Single crust for a 10-inch pie (home- made or purchased)

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1. Heat a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and oil, and tilt the pan around to coat it evenly. When the butter melts and the foam starts to subside, add the onions, toss to coat, and cover the skillet. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover the pan, raise the heat to medium, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and stir in 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are medium brown. If the onions stick to the skillet, stir to incorporate the browned juices into the onions. Transfer the onions to a platter and set aside. Wipe out the skillet with paper towels.

2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

3. Return the skillet to the stove, and heat it over medium-high heat. Add the remaining sugar and 2 tablespoons water. Cook over medium-high heat, swirling the pan gently (do not stir) for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the sugar melts and turns amber. Remove the pan from the heat, and sprinkle the caramel with the vinegar.

4. Scatter the olives and thyme over the caramel. Arrange the tomatoes over the olives, and then spread the caramelized onions evenly over the tomatoes. Top the onions with the pastry, tucking the edges into the sides of the skillet. Cut several 3-inch slits in the pastry to allow steam to escape.

5. Bake the tart for 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden. Remove the skillet from the oven, and allow it to stand for 5 minutes. Cover a baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place the baking sheet on top of the skillet, holding the edge of the baking sheet and the handle of the skillet together with one hand. Use the other hand as a guide to turn the baking sheet and skillet over. Remove the skillet, and replace any tomatoes or olives stuck to the pan on the top of the tarte. Slide the tarte from the baking sheet to a serving platter with an offset spatula. Cut the tarte into wedges, and serve immediately.

Per Serving (based on 6): 354 calories; 3 grams protein; 45 grams carbohydrates; 30 grams sugar; 20 grams fat; 15 milligrams cholesterol; 412 milligrams sodium; 3 grams dietary fiber.

Makes 6-8 servings

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1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 medium white onion, thinly sliced

8 ounces button mushrooms, trimmed and sliced

1 1/2 pounds ground turkey, preferably dark meat

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup buttermilk

1½ cups grated cheddar cheese (6 ounces)

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1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon salt.

2. In a large, heavy, ovenproof skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add bell pepper, onion, and mushrooms. Cook, stirring, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add turkey, tomato paste, and chili powder to skillet. Cook, stirring, until meat is no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes (with liquid); cook until some of the liquid has reduced, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

3. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry cutter or two knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in buttermilk and cheddar just until incorporated. Divide batter into 9 pieces, and place on top of turkey mixture. Bake until biscuits are golden brown, about 20 minutes.

- From One Pot

Per Serving (based on 8): 398 calories; 33 grams protein; 19 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams sugar; 23 grams fat; 121 milligrams cholesterol; 322 milligrams sodium; 2 grams dietary fiber.

Makes 8-10 servings

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8 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, divided

3/4 cup sugar, divided

2 pounds firm but ripe Bartlett or Anjou pears (about 4 pears), peeled, cored, and cut into eighths

2 tablespoons minced candied ginger

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup medium ground yellow cornmeal

1/2 cup boiling water

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup whole milk

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1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

2. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add ¼ cup of the sugar, stir just enough to combine. Cook without disturbing until the sugar dissolves and starts to turn golden brown (caramelize), about 5 minutes. Beginning with the outside edge and working your way toward the center in a circular pattern, arrange the pear slices on top of the caramelized sugar. Sprinkle ginger and nutmeg over the top. Cook until the pears are soft, and the caramel starts to thicken, about 5 minutes more. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Place the cornmeal in a large bowl, add the boiling water, and stir to blend. Add the remaining 6 tablespoons butter and the remaining ½ cup sugar to the cornmeal mixture, and mix until well-blended. (This can be done by hand.) Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture, a little at a time, alternating it with the milk, making sure not to overmix. Pour the batter on top of the pears in the skillet.

4. Transfer the skillet to the oven, and bake until the top starts to brown and the center of the cake feels firm and springs back when pressed, 18 to 20 minutes. Let the cake cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edge to loosen it, and place an inverted plate on top of the skillet. Protecting both hands with oven mitts, flip the cake onto the plate. Replace any fruit that may have stuck to the skillet. Serve warm or at room temperature.

- From Cast Iron Skillet by Sharon Kramis and Julie Kramis Hearne

Per Serving (based on 10): 275 calories; 4 grams protein; 43 grams carbohydrates; 25 grams sugar; 11 grams fat; 63 milligrams cholesterol; 146 milligrams sodium; 4 grams dietary fiber.