Cast Iron Christmas Crepes
A few days ago I enjoyed a wonderful crepe breakfast at the French Pastry Shop in Sante Fe with Carolyn Flynn. This gave me the craving to make my own for my Christmas morning breakfast. Ingredients:• 3 tbsp unsalted butter melted and cooled plus more for the pan• 1 cup all-purpose flour 120g• 1 tbsp granulated sugar• 1/4 tsp salt• 3/4 cup whole milk 180mL• 2 large eggs room temperature• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Put the above in a blender or food process to create a smooth mixture that pours thin, I added a little more milk. For filling I went with minced chorizo and finely grated Emmentaler Swiss cheese. I used my cast iron skillet, but if I knew where my iron comal was, I would have used that. Liberally brush butter on the skillet and bring to a medium to...
Standing Rib Roast Dinner
Traditionally on Christmas Day I cook a standing rib roast. Tomorrow I have a solid lineup of activities, so Chase The Dog and I decided to cook our annual Standing Rib Roast on Christmas Eve. Since it was just the two of us, I opted for a 6 lb two rib cut from Wegman’s. This will keep us in beef for the next couple months. I dry-brined the cut with kosher salt the night before, this insures a wonderful crispy crust as the salt draws out the water. Three hours before cook time I pulled the ribs from the fridge to let them come to room temperature. My rub was simple, fresh crushed black pepper, coriander, thyme, dry basil and dry oregano, as well as a dash of Cajun seasoning. Normally I would do a hot sear and then turn the temp down for a slow and low cook,...
Salsa Brava Potatoes
I normally wouldn’t post something as mundane as eggs and potatoes…but this morning I created perhaps the best breakfast potatoes I’ve ever made. It was 10° in Colonial Beach and I craved a hearty breakfast. Credit goes to my wonderful fiancé, who when heard what I was up to, suggested a NYT’s recipe of Salsa Brava. This is a sauce also prepared by a restaurant in Santa Fe that we ate at a few days ago, La Boca. The potatoes I sliced and boiled for 10 minutes two small baking potatoes. In my cast iron skillet, I fried up 4 slices of thick sliced bacon. Drain the grease and caramelize a small sliced onion. At the very end toss in a couple minced garlic cloves. Add a sliced shallot and cook over a low heat for a few minutes. Add the potatoes, season with salt,...
Penne Boscaiola
Knowing it was going to be a sub-freezing night, I decided to work up a REALLY hearty meal. But I’ve done a lot of those lately, so I wanted to try something new. In my research I came across a meal I’ve never cooked before, Penne Boscaiola (Woodsman-Style Pasta With Mushrooms and Bacon). All of my spaghetti sauces have always relied on oregano and basil for the savory seasoning. This sauce is about rosemary and thyme. This one has no oregano or basil. I found a dozen good recipes, and drew up a plan of my own, that involved some of things that drew my attention. And as have been wont to do lately, I wanted to cook it in my cast iron skillet. But this would be perfect for a dutch oven. Thus… I pan fried 4 strips of bacon (cut in half) and set...
Air Fried Fried Chicken
So here’s a wild notion. Fried chicken in an air fryer. While I have roasted a LOT of chicken in mine, and certainly have done a few fine pork chops. And a whole pile of naked chicken wings. I don’t think I’ve ACTUALLY air fried fried chicken. Today I had a hankering for fried chicken, but didn’t want a story-bought oil fried chicken. Thus… I pulled two leg quarters out of the freezer earlier in the day and at dinner time they were ready for me. I divided them so I had two legs and two thighs. I seasoned the chicken with salt and pepper and set them aside. My dredging station is a classic. Seasoned chicken, a buttermilk mix (with no buttermilk, I mixed 1 cup of milk with 1 Tbsp white vinegar and then added two eggs, blended with my...
Deep Dish Cast Iron Pizza
I’ve been employing my cast iron skillet a lot lately, as some may have noticed. One of the results is that in my research, a YouTube algorithm has decided I should see more cast iron skillet recipes. One that comes up often is a deep dish pizza cooked in a cast iron skillet. While I have cooked countless pizzas in the past, I’ve never once attempted a deep dish pizza. So I was intrigued. My Monday Night Charcuterie Board with my fave Carolyn Flynn was rescheduled for Wednesday (Christmas Theme 2.0) and I had most of the ingredients needed for this pizza in my larder. So I watched a handful of videos, gleaned my favorite tips and dove in. I had a frozen Publix pizza dough in my freezer (as I am wont to do), so after lunch I pulled it out, put it in a...