Cast Iron Wok Cooking Secrets

A cast iron wok is thinner than a standard fry pan. It lets the warmth to be transferred and distributed speedier. This is the uniqueness of a cast iron wok in that it can rapidly warmth up and cook your meals at larger temperatures. It can be a lot easier to choose a cast iron wok with a more time tackle. Classic cast iron functions have 2 handles but need to have you to have ability and approach previously currently being ready to use it.

Whilst a standard cast iron wok necessitates a great deal more skill and practical knowledge to cook with, but you will be rewarded with dishes with amazing flavor and texture.

I encourage a cast iron wok with one extended tackle for ease of use and application. You will find also significantly less possibility of burring all by yourself certainly when unloading food onto plates. Conventional 2 take care of woks involve strength in the forearms to use it with skill and dexterity.

The amazing benefits of cast iron woks are that it adds a smoky flavour to your dish when cooked at the correct temperature. It is also quick to cleanse. Cast iron works can final for ages if you glance once it correctly.

The valuable matter with cast iron woks is that you absolutely need to sustain and cleanse it clearly to prevent rusting. Just after cleansing it, apply a little oil and wipe with a tissue to spread the oils along the wok's surface area to reduce it from rusting.

Have a search on YouTube at varieties of wok strategies you can utilize when cooking with your cast iron woks. It truly is not rocket science but calls for persistence and apply, but you will be rewarded with mouth watering healthful Asian dishes at residence.

Cast iron woks are realistically tremendous for stir fired Asian greens as with a minimal oil and at the most suitable temperature, you can have a somewhat smoky flavour to your vegetables.

Utilizes for a cast iron wok: *Boiling vegetables *Steaming fish or dim sim *Stir fry *Deep frying

For people young and old who are correctly handed it will be your left hand which tosses the wok though the precise hand employs the wok stirrer.

Recommendations on cooking:

*Guarantee the wok is sufficiently heated earlier than cooking or else the food will stick to the wok.

*Asian greens - slice into thin slices considering the fact that the wok cooks food so speedy, you will want the veggies lower into 5mm pieces to allow for thru cooking.

*Meats will want to be cooked prior to the veggies given that they get lengthier.

*Eggs and other rather simple to cook vegetables should be cooked past.

If you have a Chinese colleague then you can certainly ask them for advice on how to use cast iron woks. Perfect luck and cherish cooking you cast iron wok.

Writer: Lam Bong

Maine Lobster Rolls are a Summer Delight

Did you ever take a trip to Maine and stop off at a small roadside restaurant to enjoy a world famous Maine lobster roll? If you haven't then you should consider taking a trip there one summer.

But you don't even have to be anywhere near the northeastern part of the United States if you want to enjoy one of these tempting tarragon seasoned taste treats.

Here's a recipe that you can use to make two of these delicious delights to enjoy any time of the year.

If you can procure one or two live lobsters or a half pound of fully cooked lobster meat then you will be good to go.

In order to make these delicious morsels you will have to first prepare the lobster salad. Here's an easy recipe that will get you out of the kitchen and into your backyard to enjoy this symbol of summer in no time at all.

If you're using live lobsters you'll have to boil them or steam them until they are fully cooked. Then let them cool to room temperature.

Next, take a cleaver and remove the lobster meat from the tail, claws and knuckles. Then remove all of the meat from the cartilage. Once the meat is prepared cut it into � to � inch pieces. You can pick the rest of the meat from the shell and add it to the mix.

Now, take � of a medium sized cucumber. Peel it, seed it, and finely dice it. Add � cup of mayonnaise and � tablespoon of fresh tarragon to the diced cucumbers and combine it with the lobster. Thinly slice 2 small scallions and add them to the mix along with either sea salt or Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Cover the lobster salad with plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for a half hour to an hour.

While the lobster salad's chilling you will want to prepare the buns. You can either toast them under a broiler or in a skillet.

If you have a 12" to 14" cast iron pan you can preheat it before placing lightly buttered New England style hot dog buns in it. Cook the rolls until they are golden brown. This should take about two minutes. Then turn them over and cook the other side.

When the buns are done take the lobster salad out of the fridge and stuff it into the hot dog buns.

Put each of the rolls on a plate, add potato chips and pickles, and enjoy.

Author: Wendy Moyer

Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich - The Greatest Summer months Deal with

Most buyers who head over to Foothills, CA cannot depart without having trying a Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich at Arnie's Italian Restaurant. The following are some suggestions so you can make your private at place.

Working with a whole lot significantly less oil, but not substituting any taste, you can make a delightful edition of the well-known Philly Cheese steak sandwich at household. See how you'll find it performed.

At for starters you have to make certain that all the components are out there in front of you It is exceedingly necessary so look at out the checklist down below:-

� 2 clean Italian sandwich rolls or Kaiser buns, split in fifty percent crosswise

� one white onion, thinly sliced

� 1/2 great green bell pepper, thinly sliced

� one teaspoon minced garlic

� 1/two teaspoon salt

� one/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

� 1/2 pound rib-eye steak, especially thinly shaved or sliced

� one/3 pound thinly sliced white American cheese , or Provolone cheese OR four ounces melted cheese whiz

� Ketchup, optional topping

� Italian pickled peppers, accompaniment

Now we are prepared to make a scrumptious dish of Philly Cheese steak sandwich.

At first, heat the oven to virtually 95 degree C. Warmth a cast-iron skillet or griddle around medium-superior heat. When scorching add the oil, onions and bell peppers, and cook, stirring, until caramelized, about six minutes. Include the garlic, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring, for thirty seconds. Push off to 1 aspect of the griddle. Add the meat to the scorching pan and cook, stirring and breaking up with the back again of two metal spatulas, right up until very nearly no more time pink, about 2 minutes. Combine in the Saut�ed greens. Top rated with cheese slices and melt. Spoon the cheesy meat combination into the warm buns and serve without delay with condiments of pick or Set the meat in the bun and dip the spatula in the cheese whiz and then wipe the spatula down the inside of the bread.

Now a small garnishing on the meals makes it looks pretty and even more tempting.

A delicious dish is ready to serve.

Are you in the mood of good Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich ?.. then do drop a take a look at at the preferred restaurant in town at Arnie's Italian Restaurant

Author: Kevin Scott

Kitchen fire kills man

INDIANA - A 74-year-old man died of smoke inhalation when a pan of grease he had left heating unattended on the stove ignited. The fire spread through the first-floor apartment's kitchen, across the ceiling, and into the dining room before firefighters brought it under control.

The unsprinldered, wood-frame apartment building, which covered 5,000 square feet (465 square meters), had a roof covered with asphalt shingles. Firefighters found a smoke alarm on a night stand in the victim's bedroom, but it was below the smoke line. The fire was detected by a secondfloor occupant who called 911.

After the blaze was extinguished, investigators found three cast-iron skillets on the apartment's electric stove; one with grease in it had been placed on a burner whose control knob was in the On' position. After the grease in it ignited, flames spread into a vent hood and to other areas of the kitchen. The fire then spread across the ceiling to other rooms in the apartment.

The building, which was valued at $500,000, and its contents, valued at $200,000, sustained property damage estimated at $50,000 and $10,000, respectively.

Author: Tremblay, Ken

How to Make Aebleskiver (Danish Puff Pastries)

What's an Aebleskiver?

Danish aebleskiver (sometimes called "ebleskiver") are one of the few pastries that you can make on the stovetop�that doesn't require baking�and that you don't have to fry. They are made with a simple batter, are often filled, and usually dusted with sugar. They are easy to make and the varieties are endless.

You can fill your aebleskivers with jam, cream cheese, marshmallow cream, whipped cream, or savory fillings like cheese and sausage.

An Aebleskiver Pan Makes it Easy!

Spoon the batter into the cavities in the pan and turn them with a toothpick or skewer. We'll tell you how below.

You can use either a cast iron or aluminum aebleskiver pan. Aebleskiver require pans must hold their heat well to cook properly and cast iron is perfect. Cast iron does have to be seasoned and kept dry to keep from rusting.

We have tested both cast iron and nonstick aluminum pans in our test kitchen. The aluminum pans that we tested (and that we sell) are thick and heavy enough to hold their heat well. A nonstick surface on aluminum pans is recommended to make the aebleskiver easier to turn.

You can choose either type of pan and it will work well. A cook that works often with cast iron, appreciates it, and knows how to care for cast iron, will be happiest with a cast iron pan. A more casual cook might appreciate the carefree qualities and attractive good looks of an aluminum pan.

How to Make Aebleskiver

The "aeble" in aebleskiver means "apple." Traditionally for holidays in Denmark, aebleskiver are filled with applesauce or slices of saut�ed apples. At least in this country, we use many fillings. In our test kitchen, we have made chocolate aebleskiver, filled with melted chocolate, drizzled with chocolate sauce, and topped with whipped cream for luscious desserts. (We produce a chocolate aebleskiver mix.) Jam fillings are very common but jam and cream cheese makes a great filling.

Grease your aebleskiver pan with a spray dispenser or with butter. (Spray your pan again as needed or put a dab of butter in each cavity occasionally.) Heat the pan over medium heat. When hot, fill each cup one-third full with batter. Add a small amount of filling to each. Cover with an additional one-third batter. A larger cookie scoop works well to cleanly drop the batter into the cups.

Cook for one to one and one-half minutes before turning. (You can turn your aebleskiver with a toothpick or skewer.) Cook for another minute or until done. Remove your aebleskiver to a plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve them warm.

What do I fill my aebleskivers with?

Almost anything. Fill your aebleskivers with jam or jelly, whipped cream, pastry, cream, applesauce, and much more. Some people fill their aebleskivers with savoring fillings like bacon and cheese or pepperoni, cheese, and marinara. One of our favorites is a corn bread aebleskiver (made with a mix) with a cube of melted cheddar cheese in the center and served with raspberry jalape�o jam. The cornbread and cheese is a great combination and jam packs a little heat.

If you would like to fill your aebleskiver with pastry cream, whipped cream, or marshmallow cream, do it after they are cooked. Fill a pastry bag or decorator set with your cream filling. Use a star tip or long tip to inject filling into the center of your aebleskiver. You'll be able to feel the aebleskiver puff as they fill.

Author: Dennis Weaver

What is cooking

HappyFamily, maker of top quality little one foods, offers a child-meals cooking class March 11, 6:thirty p.m., Complete Meals Sector, 6930 S. Highland Drive, free of cost (801-560-3843 or 801-733-9455).

For Your Kitchen area at Newgate Mall, 3651 Wall Ave., Ogden, provides "Astonishing Cheesecakes With Disneyland Chef George Geary," March 6, 6:30 p.m., $35 (801-866-1111 or classes@fykitchen.com).

Macey's, Sandy, gives you "Dutch Oven Cooking," 7 p.m., no cost "All the things Green," March 10, 7 p.m., free of charge "Discover Wheat," March 12, seven p.m., free of cost (801-255-4888).

Lorken Foods Finery, Gardner Village, delivers "Roll Earning Class," March five, six p.m., $twenty "The Miracle Pan: Cast Iron Skillet," March twelve, 6 p.m., $40 and "Crowd Pleasers," March 23, six p.m., $25 (801- 938-1982 to www.lorkenfoodfinery.com).

Thanksgiving Stage, Lehi, gives "Classic Sauces" March five, 6 p.m., $60 "Fish the Industry Street Way," March ten, six:30 p.m., $40 "Favorite Chinese Dishes," March 11, six:thirty p.m., $40 "Tiramisu," March 14, eleven a.m., $sixty (801-768-2300 or www.thanksgivingpoint.com).

Viking Cooking School at Kimball Distributing, 233 S. 300 East, features various courses. For a total timetable, examine Vikingcookingschool.com.

Ace Hardware, 1075 N. 500 East, North Salt Lake, features "Crepe Recipes," March five, six:thirty p.m., $20 "Complete Wheat Bread," March 7, 10 a.m., no charge "Edible Artwork," March ten, 6:30 p.m., $20 (801-383-3838).

Gygi Culinary Institute, 3500 S. 300 West, offers "Fairly simple Gourmet: Cioppino and Artisan Bread," March 7, 6 p.m., $49 "Cater Your Unique Event," March 14, 10 a.m., $35 "Delectable Meets Nutritious: Cookbook Signing & Samples," March 14, one-four p.m., no charge "Feed a Household of four for $160 A Month Portion one," March 14, two p.m., $45 (801- 268-3316 or www.gygi.com).

John & Jennie's Bosch Kitchen area Center, 6261 Highland Push, delivers "New Gluten No cost Class," March seven, ten:30 a.m., totally free "Specialty Rice," March 10, noon, free of charge "Mexican Meals & Fresh Salsa," March 14, ten:30 a.m., complimentary (801-272-9922 or www.jandjkitchen.com).

Sandy Bosch Kitchen Middle, 8940 S. 700 East, offers "Stress Cooking," March seven, 11 a.m., free of charge "General Bread Class," March eleven noon, no charge "Healthy Breakfast Class," March 14, eleven a.m., free (801- 562-1212 or www.mykitchencenter.com).

Sur La Table at the Gateway gives you "Knife Proficiency," March 7, noon, $69 "Italian Pasta Sauces," March 10, six:30 p.m., $69 "Back again to Basics," March eleven, 6:thirty p.m., $69 "Master to Cook II," March 12, 6:thirty p.m., $69 "Chef's Table," March 13, six:thirty p.m., $69 (801-456- 0280 or Cooking026@surlatable.com).

E-mail: vphillips@desnews.com

Writer: Compiled by Valerie Phillips Deseret News

How To Clear Metal Making use of Natural Systems

Polishing up the silverware applied to be a single of these cleaning work opportunities that was left to the butler � and brass was left for the housekeeper. But, these days, we have to clear this type of point ourselves (until we want to hire a qualified cleaner). Even if we don�t have masses of family members heirlooms in our households these days, most of us have some metal someplace that requirements to be held shiny. So how do you cleanse metalwork devoid of utilizing some ferocious chemical that leaves you with itchy skin?

Cleaning silver:

For a begin off, you really should preserve silver away from anything involving sulphur, which means that that you should really practically never eat eggs with a silver teaspoon. To get tarnished or boring silver sparkling all over again, coat the metal in a paste of baking soda and h2o, and then wrap it in aluminium foil. Dip the wrapped object into a bowl or bath of warm water and leave for about 5 minutes. Rinse the residue off and dry the silver extensively by hand with a gentle cloth.

Cleansing gold:

Gold can be cleaned the exact way as you cleanse your teeth: with toothpaste and a soft toothbrush, followed by rinsing. The only big difference is that you will then dry the gold merchandise off with a gentle cloth, which you don�t do to your teeth. This system performs wonderfully for rings.

Cleaning pewter:

Some everyday people like the darker glance of older, a bit tarnished pewter. If you want to thoroughly clean yours and get it wanting a very little shinier, then one previous tip for cleaning pewter is to rub it with a moist cabbage leaf. Alternatively, dissolve one teaspoon of salt in a cup of vinegar, then make a paste by including flour (furthermore necessary oil, if you like). Rub on (wear gloves � pewter consists of lead and you don�t want to threat getting this into your model) and then rinse off thoroughly.

Cleansing chrome:

Chrome expectations to be held at no cost from grease and should certainly hardly ever be cleaned with abrasives. Instead, you can apply a purely natural cleansing solution: cleanse chrome by spraying it with dilute vinegar, then buffing it dry with a gentle cloth. This performs for automobiles as perfectly as for cleansing chrome about the home.

Cleansing copper:

A single of the oddest strategies for cleaning the copper bottoms of saucepans (or any copper that you want vivid and shining somewhat than gathering a patina of verdigris) is to combine tomato sauce (tomato ketchup) and cream of tartar (about � cup sauce to one tablespoon cream of tartar). Coat the copper in problem with the mixture and stand overnight ahead of rinsing off with soapy drinking water, then with clean drinking water and drying.

Cleansing brass:

To get brass shining, make a paste of salt and vinegar. Coat the brass product with this paste, then leave it to sit on the metal for about five minutes. Then rub the paste off with a damp cloth and dry thoroughly. You may possibly would need a range of damp cloths for this cleaning job.

Cleansing cast iron

Water is the enemy of cast iron, so if you wash cast iron to eliminate gunge (e.g. washing a cast iron skillet or frying pan just after use), then dry it incredibly completely as shortly as practical. Do not leave it to air dry. Once drying, �season� the cast iron by rubbing it lightly with vegetable oil. Do not keep cast iron pans with the lids on, as the lids will trap moisture, marketing rust. Hang the pan up, if possible.

Writer: Nick Vassilev

Leftover buttermilk needn't be wasted

By Ellen Folkman

ST. PETERSBURG Times

For cooks who get hold of by themselves with buttermilk left above from recipes they you should not make regularly, here is just one opportunity that also can take treatment of abundance in the garden: Fried Green Tomatoes.

The recipe calls for the use of a cast iron skillet. A large- bottomed skillet will job, but the cast iron will make a crunchier crust. The tomatoes are leading liked warm.

Fried Green Tomatoes

1 substantial egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup all-intent flour, divided

1/two cup cornmeal

1 teaspoon salt

1/two teaspoon pepper

3 medium-sized green tomatoes, cut into 1/3-inch slices

Vegetable oil

Salt to taste

Mix egg and buttermilk and set aside. Mix 1/four cup all- reason flour, cornmeal, salt and pepper in shallow bowl or pan. Dredge tomato slices in remaining 1/four cup flour dip in egg mixture and dredge in cornmeal mixture.

Pour oil to a depth of one/4 to 1/two inch in a massive cast iron skillet or hefty-bottomed skillet. Warmth to 375 degrees. Drop tomatoes, in batches, into scorching oil and cook two minutes on just about every aspect or before golden. Drain on paper towels or a rack. (A rack will preserve them crispy.)

Sprinkle very hot tomatoes with salt and serve straight away.

Makes four to 6 servings.

Resource: Cindy Shea, Spring Hill, Fla.

One more selection for utilising up buttermilk is biscuits.

Onion Cheese Biscuits

2 cups all-reason flour

one tablespoon sugar

two teaspoons baking powder

one teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

one/four teaspoon salt

one/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup cold butter

two cups shredded cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese, divided

one/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

one cup buttermilk

In a vast bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and baking soda. Lower in butter until combination resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in eleven/4 cups cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese and the Parmesan cheese. Stir in buttermilk just right up until moistened.

Flip onto a lightly floured surface and knead six to 8 instances. Pat or roll out to 1/two-inch thickness reduce with a floured eleven/2-inch biscuit cutter. Site 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until finally golden brown.

Can make one dozen.

Supply: Angela Foushee, Palm Harbor, Fla.

Author: Ellen Folkman

Recipe of the week: Blackened Tilapia Sandwich with Cilantro Lime

Blackened Tilapia Sandwich with Cilantro Lime Aioli

May make 18 50 percent-cup servings

Ingredients:

1/4 cup paprika

two tablespoons thyme

2 teaspoons onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

one teaspoon salt

1/four teaspoon ground red pepper

one/two cup butter, melted

four ten-oz tilapia fillets

four kaiser buns

In a shallow dish, merge paprika, thyme, onion and garlic powder, salt, and ground red pepper. Dip the tilapia fillets in melted butter, and then coat with the seasoning. Warmth a cast-iron skillet above medium-substantial warmth. Cook the ready fish in batches, 3 to four minutes for every facet or until the fish will flake with a fork. Butter and toast the buns, and spread the cilantro lime aioli evenly in excess of the toasted buns. Position the blackened fish on buns and high. Also superior topped with coleslaw.

Cilantro Lime Aioli

1 cup mayonnaise

one/four cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves

one tablespoon lime juice

In a minimal bowl, mix all ingredients extensively.

-The Backyard-

Scott Ackley, Head Chef

For facts get in touch with 801-539-3170

Writer: Unique to the Deseret News

All About Aebleskiver and How to Make Them (Includes a Recipe)

What's an Aebleskiver?

Danish aebleskiver (sometimes called "ebleskiver") are one of the few pastries that you can make on the stovetop�that doesn't require baking�and that you don't have to fry. They are made with a simple batter, are often filled, and usually dusted with sugar. They are easy to make and the varieties are endless.

They can be filled with both sweet and savory fillings. While sweet fillings are most often fruit or jam, marshmallow cream, cream cheese, pastry filings, and whipped cream can be used. Savory fillings include meats like sausage or bacon and cheese.

An Aebleskiver Pan Makes it Easy!

Spoon the batter into the cavities in the pan and turn them with a toothpick or skewer. We'll tell you how below.

Aebleskiver pans come in two varieties�cast iron and cast aluminum. In order to cook properly, an aebleskiver pan must be heavy to hold heat. Nothing holds the heat better than cast iron. The disadvantage to cast iron is that it has to be seasoned and kept dry to keep from rusting.

We have tested both cast iron and nonstick aluminum pans in our test kitchen. The aluminum pans that we tested (and that we sell) are thick and heavy enough to hold their heat well. A nonstick surface on aluminum pans is recommended to make the aebleskiver easier to turn.

You can choose either type of pan and it will work well. A cook that works often with cast iron, appreciates it, and knows how to care for cast iron, will be happiest with a cast iron pan. A more casual cook might appreciate the carefree qualities and attractive good looks of an aluminum pan.

How to Make Aebleskiver

The "aeble" in aebleskiver means "apple." Traditionally for holidays in Denmark, aebleskiver are filled with applesauce or slices of saut�ed apples. At least in this country, we use many fillings. In our test kitchen, we have made chocolate aebleskiver, filled with melted chocolate, drizzled with chocolate sauce, and topped with whipped cream for luscious desserts. (We produce a chocolate aebleskiver mix.) Jam fillings are very common but jam and cream cheese makes a great filling.

Grease your aebleskiver pan with a spray dispenser or with butter. (Spray your pan again as needed or put a dab of butter in each cavity occasionally.) Heat the pan over medium heat. When hot, fill each cup one-third full with batter. Add a small amount of filling to each. Cover with an additional one-third batter. A larger cookie scoop works well to cleanly drop the batter into the cups.

Cook for one to one and one-half minutes before turning. (You can turn your aebleskiver with a toothpick or skewer.) Cook for another minute or until done. Remove your aebleskiver to a plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve them warm.

The easiest way to learn how to make aebleskiver is to do it so let's turn to a recipe:

Classic Aebleskiver Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose or cake flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 large eggs

2 cups buttermilk

filling of your choice

powdered sugar

Directions

1. Mix together the flour, salt, and baking soda.

2. Separate the eggs, the yolks from the whites. Set the yolks aside. Beat the egg whites until light and fluffy and soft peaks form.

3. Add the egg yolks and the buttermilk to the flour mixture and stir until combined. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter.

4. Grease your aebleskiver pan with oil or butter and again as needed. Heat the pan over medium heat. When hot, fill each cup one-third full with batter. Add a small amount of filling to each. Cover with additional batter.

5. Cook for one to one and one-half minutes before turning. (You can turn your aebleskiver with a toothpick or skewer.) Cook for another minute or until done. Remove to a plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve warm.

What do I fill my aebleskivers with?

Almost anything. Fill your aebleskivers with jam or jelly, whipped cream, pastry, cream, applesauce, and much more. Some people fill their aebleskivers with savoring fillings like bacon and cheese or pepperoni, cheese, and marinara. One of our favorites is a corn bread aebleskiver (made with a mix) with a cube of melted cheddar cheese in the center and served with raspberry jalape�o jam. The cornbread and cheese is a great combination and jam packs a little heat.

If you would like to fill your aebleskiver with pastry cream, whipped cream, or marshmallow cream, do it after they are cooked. Fill a pastry bag or decorator set with your cream filling. Use a star tip or long tip to inject filling into the center of your aebleskiver. You'll be able to feel the aebleskiver puff as they fill.

Author: Dennis Weaver

3 ways with shrimp: fresh spins on classic dishes, starring our favorite easy-to-cook shellfish

Shrimp with bacon-cheese polenta

Our version of shrimp and grits comes with bacon, adding a smoky meatiness to the entire dish.

PREP AND COOK TIME 45 minutes

MAKES 4 to 6 servings

NOTES This dish is particularly flavorful when cooked in a cast-iron skillet--the hotter surface creates lots of crusty brown bits.

1. In a medium saucepan, bring 3 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add 1/2 tsp. salt. Pour in polenta in a thin stream, whisking constantly, and whisk until mixture comes to a steady simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover, and stir every 5 minutes until done, about 25 minutes total. Related Results

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2. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, cook bacon until fat renders and edges start to brown and crisp. While bacon cooks, trim stems and ends of green onions, leaving onions as intact as possible. Drain bacon on paper towels, chop, and set aside.

3. Remove all but 1 tbsp. bacon fat from the pan. Add whole green onions and cook until soft and starting to brown, about 3 minutes; turn and brown opposite sides, about 3 minutes more. While green onions cook, halve tomatoes along the equator and sprinkle cut sides with salt and pepper. Chop garlic. Set both aside.

4. Transfer green onions to a baking sheet or platter and cover to keep warm. Put tomato halves cut side down in pan with bacon fat and cook until starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook until heated through and a bit soft, about 3 minutes more. Transfer to baking sheet with green onions to keep warm.

5. Add garlic to pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add shrimp and cook, stirring constantly, until starting to turn pink, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in wine and continue cooking, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the pan, until shrimp is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

6. Stir butter, cheese, and bacon into polenta. Divide polenta among 4 to 6 plates and top with shrimp and remaining liquid in the pan, dividing evenly. Set a tomato half and several green onions beside polenta. Serve immediately.

PER SERVING 523 CAL., 44% (228 CAL.) FROM FAT; 38 G PROTEIN; 25 G FAT (12 G SAT.); 31 G CARBO (3.8 G FIBER); 888 MG SODIUM; 225 MG CHOL.

Ouzo-rosemary shrimp on lemon orzo

This made-for-eating-outdoors dinner combines bright citrus with the sharp, herbal notes of rosemary and ouzo.

MAKES 4 servings

NOTES Ouzo is a widely available anise-flavored liqueur from Greece.

1. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for medium-high heat (you can hold your hand at grill level only 3 to 4 seconds).

2. In a medium pot, bring chicken broth and 2 cups water to a boil. Add orzo and cook until tender to the bite, about 8 minutes. In a medium bowl, mix 1 tbsp. olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, chives, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Drain orzo and transfer to bowl; toss with lemon mixture. Cover and set aside until ready to serve.

3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine 2 tbsp. olive oil, ouzo, rosemary, 1/2 tsp. salt, and pepper. Add shrimp and toss. Set aside for 15 minutes.

4. Trim ends off zucchini and cut on the bias into long, oval, 1/4-in.-thick slices. Brush slices with remaining 1 tbsp. olive oil and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 tsp. salt. Set aside.

5. Drain shrimp, reserving marinade, and thread onto skewers.

6. Grill zucchini slices and shrimp skewers, covered, 3 minutes. Turn slices and skewers over, brush shrimp with reserved marinade, cover, and cook until zucchini is soft and browned and shrimp is pink and starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a platter and serve immediately, with lemon orzo on the side.

PER SERVING 476 CAL., 26% (126 CAL.) FROM FAT; 44 G PROTEIN; 14 G FAT (2 G SAT.); 42 G CARBO (2.2 G FIBER); 979 MG SODIUM; 259 MG CHOL.

Salt-and-pepper shrimp

A stir-fried version of the deep-fried Chinese dish that's both quick and light yet keeps the intense flavor of the original.

PREP AND COOK TIME 20 minutes

NOTES The different peppercorns add a subtle range of pepper flavor to this dish, but you can stick to just black peppercorns too; simply decrease the total amount to 1 1/2 tsp.

1. Put peppercorns in a mortar and crush roughly with a pestle. Or put peppercorns in a large resealable plastic bag, spread out on a hard, flat surface, and crush with the bottom of a heavy frying pan or rolling pin.

2. Put shrimp, half of the crushed peppercorns, and 1 tsp. salt in a large bowl and toss to coat shrimp evenly. Set aside.

3. Heat a wok or large (not nonstick) pot over high heat. Add oil, garlic, remaining crushed peppercorns, and remaining 1 tsp. salt and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add shrimp and cook, stirring constantly, until pink and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Add cilantro, turn off heat, and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

PER SERVING 209 CAL., 34% (72 CAL.) FROM FAT; 30 G PROTEIN; 8 G FAT (1.2 G SAT.); 2.4 G CARBO (0.3 G FIBER); 685 MG SODIUM; 224 MG CHOL.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY IAIN BAGWELL

Author: Molly Watson

SCIENCE OF THE WOK

When you think of a wok, chances are you picture the curve of the wok, with its rounded bottom and sloping sides. What distinguishes it in design also distinguishes it in function. Both the concave shape and material of the wok allow heat to distribute evenly and prevent the formation of "hot spots," which cause food to stick and burn.

The most common materials for woks are carbon steel and cast iron. While cast-iron skillets are poorer heat conductors than aluminum or copper skillets, they have the advantage of being able to hold more heat and distribute it more uniformly. Cast-iron skillets also accumulate a natural nonstick coating from the fats and oils of cooking. This "seasoning" is the result of oils breaking down and reacting to form a carbon-containing residue. Carbon is an element that takes many forms (ranging from coal to diamonds), but in this case, the carbonized layer protects the metal from corrosion and reduces sticking that would otherwise result from food hitting a bare, hot metal surface.

When nestled in the flames of a fire, the sloping sides distribute heat evenly among the food being cooked. The technique of pushing food away from the center and up the sloping edges regulates heat distribution and allows cooking to alternate between higher and lower temperatures, which ultimately gives the chef more control.

Writer Fumei Lam and Jamie Bresson

Jamie Bresson is a chemical engineer at Calera Corporation. Fumei Lam is a postdoctoral researcher in mathematics at the University of California.

Author: Lam, Fumei, Bresson, Jamie

Utah lady wins prime prize for cornbread

Southerners just take their cornbread really severely.

But coming from Utah's very own Dixie would possibly have provided Erin Renouf Mylroie a leg up at the 2010 National Cornbread Cook-Off, held in South Pittsburg, Tenn.

Her Crunchtastic Chicken Chipotle Cornbread assisted her seize 2nd area at the occasion. Lori Stephens of Hendersonville, Tenn., was crowned with a coveted cast-iron-skillet crown as the grand prize winner for her Bacon and Gorgonzola Cornbread Sliders with Chipotle Mayo recipe.

The Nationwide Cornbread Cook-Off is held the last weekend of April, in conjunction with the Nationwide Cornbread Festival, and it is sponsored by Martha White baking mixes and Lodge Cast Iron.

Mylroie, from Santa Clara, won $one,500 for her trouble. She kicked up the cornbread's flavor by incorporating green salsa, chipotle chili powder, green chiles and pepper jack cheese just before topping with cheese and corn chips.

For a cooling contrast, the spicy cornbread is topped off with a crisp avocado and cabbage slaw, chopped tomatoes and corn chips. Mylroie was also a finalist in 2009, and she reported if she manages to come back again next 12 months, she would like to deliver the complete loved ones along for a Civil War historical past trip.

For individuals who want to consider the recipe, you are in luck. In February, Martha White baking mixes expanded into the Salt Lake Town market place. Check your neighborhood grocery keep for availability, or you can experiment with one additional related-dimension brand of cornbread combine. All winning recipes will finally be posted on www.marthawhite.com.

Crunchtastic Chicken Chipotle Cornbread

Cornbread:

Non-stick cooking spray

one (6.5 ounce) deal Martha White Yellow Cornbread and Muffin Combine

one vast egg, beaten

3/four cup green (tomatillo) salsa

1 1/two cups shredded cooked chicken

one/four teaspoon chipotle chili powder

1/two cup chopped green onions

one 4-ounce can diced green chilies

1 1/two cups shredded pepper jack cheese

one/2 cup coarsely crushed small-scale corn chips

Slaw:

1/two cup sour cream

one avocado, mashed

Juice and peel of a single lime

3 cups shredded cabbage

1 cup minced cilantro

Salt and pepper

Toppings:

1 cup chopped tomatoes

1 cup minor corn chips

Warmth oven to 400°F. Spray 10 1/four-inch cast-iron skillet (or major-duty pan) with no-stick cooking spray. Stir with each other cornbread combine, egg and salsa in medium bowl until well blended. Stir in chicken, chili powder, green onions, green chiles and one cup cheese. Pour into prepared skillet. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and 1/two cup corn chips. Bake twenty to 25 minutes or until eventually golden brown.

Whereas cornbread is baking, incorporate sour cream, avocado, lime juice and peel. Stir in cabbage and cilantro. Mix perfectly. Salt and pepper to flavor. Slice cornbread into six wedges. Top notch each slice with slaw, tomatoes and corn chips.

Serves 6. -- Erin Renouf Mylroie

e-mail: vphillips@desnews.com

Writer: Valerie Phillips Deseret News

How to Season your Cast Iron Cookware

Cast iron has a porous surface area. The seasoning system serves to fill and easy the surface area of the pan. It's a fact that the increased you use and season a cast-iron, the a great deal more non-stick the surface gets. Here is how you time a new or put to use cast-iron utensil:

one. If the pan is new, be certain any adhesive label is completely eliminated.

2. Wash, rinse and dry the utensil.

3. Grease the inside of surface with Crisco or other strong shortening. A medium-light coating, as you would grease a cake pan, is sufficient.

four. Warmth the oven to 350�F, and position the oven rack in the major 3rd of the oven.

five. Open your windows as a result of there is going to be some smoke.

6. Rub a thin layer of shortening (like Crisco) or oil (bacon grease works wonderful, also) all about the internal bottom and sides of the pan with a paper towel.

7. Position your pan upside down on the top oven rack with a rimmed baking sheet or a roasting pan underneath to catch the drippings.

eight. Bake the pan this way for 1 hour. Then turn off the oven and enable it to awesome with the pan inside.

When the pan is effectively seasoned, the cooking surface will want to be easy and shiny. It facilitates if the first of all few matters you cook with your newly seasoned pan entail oil, look at frying or saut�ing anything.

To get rid of any fears about using as well significantly shortening, you can place the pan in the oven upside down. Put a cookie sheet or aluminum foil on the rack beneath to catch any drips.

A skillet or other utensil can be seasoned as sometimes as necessary to keep up a awesome surface. Let us say you have just generated tortillas and, after all that warmth, the surface of your cast iron looks dry. Just time it once more right before you put it away.

Until the pan is exceptionally well seasoned, both by a great number of makes use of or repeated seasonings, do not attempt to cook food items with a superior acid articles and other content (tomatoes, for instance). The corrosive nature of great-acid food items will not react perfectly to unseasoned cast-iron. The moment a pan is clearly-seasoned, nonetheless, you can use it for just about something. I do assume my mom could have fried plutonium in her big skillet.

Probably the most hard issue for a particularly fastidious cook to do is refrain from employing soap or detergent in the cleansing strategy. Seasoned cast-iron utensils might probably be cleaned awfully nicely with boiling water and a stiff-bristled brush. (I have a short-dealt with brush with stiff nylon bristles that I use only for cleaning my cast-iron skillets.) And quite often, say when creating cornbread, I simply brush the skillet vigorously, wipe it with a damp sponge, and dry it with a paper towel. It is valuable to dry cast-iron utensils well when use they will rust unless totally dried. Cast-iron utensils will darken with use, turning from a steely gray, when new, to dark gray or black.

Above years of use, my cast-iron skillets have become aged buddies. Despite the fact that I would do not ever prefer to substitute them, if I had to (let us say an astute kitchen thief broke in and regarded my skillets for the treasures they are), I could purchase new skillets, time them nicely, and have some new older buddies.

Author: Johnny Waymire

Considering Cookware

The amount of quality cookware in the marketplace has grown immensely over the years. Cast iron was the original quality piece, but over the years we have been introduced to copper bottom pots, aluminum pots and pans, and teflon coated cookware. The non-stick cookware industry has become huge since it was introduced. All of these products, when used and treated properly, can be of very high quality and last a very long time.

There are a many things to consider when comparing different types of cookware, but for the best actual cooking experience there are only three things that need be addressed. Durability, heat distribution, and cleanup. The durability of a piece of cookware is very important to the person that cooks at home. Most people do not want to buy new pots and pans every year. A pot or pan that can last is very desirable. Along with a durable piece of cookware, one that evenly distributes heat throughout the entire piece can make even the weekend cook look good. Even heat means even cooking. Cleanup may be highest on the list of the home cook. Cooking is fun, cleanup is not. A piece of cookware that can be cleaned easily can make a meal a good memory. Spending hours soaking and scraping pots and pans can sour the experience. I would like to compare cast iron and non-stick cookware to see if the modern advances in cookware outweigh the "good old-fashioned" heavy duty stuff.

Cast iron cookware by nature is very durable. It is strong, solid, and does not bend easily. When properly treated it can last not only one person's lifetime, but it can be handed down through the generations. On a personal note, my wife was bequeathed her grandmother's cast iron skillet that she used solely for corn bread. She still uses it today. Best corn bread ever. Even if a skillet goes unused for a number of years, it can be reconditioned and re-seasoned to be used again.

On the other hand non-stick cookware is not as durable as cast iron. If treated properly, it can definitely last for a long time, but it is a lot of work. Non-stick cookware cannot be scratched. Nothing but wood or plastic spatulas. Unfortunately, if one is cooking with a very hot skillet, even the latest plastic implements will melt slightly. Storage must be done carefully. Stacking pot and pans can create scratches which will inevitably lead to food sticking to the pan. When food begins to stick, the pan is finished. Unlike cast iron cookware, which can be re-seasoned, once a non-stick pan is scratched and losing it's coating there is nothing to do except get a new pan.

In my mind, heat distribution is the most important aspect of a good piece of cookware. When put on a stove with direct heat, a quality piece of cookware should distribute the heat throughout the entire piece. Cast iron cookware is, again, by nature, built for it. The iron conducts heat throughout, and the thickness makes the heat even. It also holds heat very well. Most non-stick pans are made of lightweight material and are fairly thin. This leads to quick heating, but not evenly. Uneven heating means uneven cooking.

There is non-stick cookware that distributes heat well but it comes at a price. There are expensive non-stick brands that do conduct heat properly and cook evenly. Cast iron does this naturally so even the "lower grade" brands will perform well.

Finally, there is cleanup. Nobody likes to "do the dishes". Non-stick cookware has cornered the market on this. A brand new, non-stick piece of cookware is a breeze to cleanup. A little soap, a swish of a dishrag and its clean. As has been discussed, if the piece is taken care of it will be easy to clean for a long time. However, over time and normal use a non-stick pan becomes more difficult to clean. Scratches and flaking can cause problems. Once these scratches have happened there's nothing to do.

Cast iron cookware can become one of the easiest things to clean. With proper seasoning a cast iron skillet will become as "non-stick" as any non-stick pan. With diligence over a short amount of time, a cast iron skillet becomes virtually non-stick. Cleanup becomes as easy as water and a soft scrubber. No soap. Conversely to non-stick cookware, over time a cast iron skillet becomes easier to clean.

Most cookware in this day and age will satisfy the basic everyday home cook. However, in looking at what I feel are the most important aspects of cooking, cast iron cookware has an edge of the modern non-stick equipment. From a cooking standpoint, cast iron is more durable and holds heat as well as, if not better than, anything else. If properly seasoned, cast iron can be just as easily cleaned as the most expensive non-stick cookware. It seems that the old stuff may be just as good as the modern day equivalent

Author: Scott Patten

ON Food: Recipe is high-quality start out on Akasaka's Butteryaki

When Akasaka Japanese Restaurant, 4737 N. Academy Blvd., closed a couple of months in the past, my regular monthly lunch bunch moaned our disappointment in unison. Akasaka was an individual of our common go-to sites for a sizzling skillet of scallop Butteryaki.

Any time we dined there, we experimented with a new way to cajole the waitress to expose the recipe for the top secret sauce. But their lips were sealed.

And that was our most important regret when the eatery shuttered its windows - we would certainly not once more get to consume this terrific dish.

For your reference, the scallop Butteryaki appetizer consisted of 6 seared sea scallops served on a relatively hot cast iron plate. The dish is stressful to suitable as the scallops go on to cook as they are served, but the kitchen area at Akasaka had it down to a science. Coming off the sizzling iron, the scallops had a salty crust on the exterior and a sweet, tender interior.

My lunch partners, all staying moderately awesome cooks, had theorized about what may perhaps be in the solution sauce. I figured there was mayonnaise in it, but I could not put my finger on what the other ingredients may perhaps be.

Once, on a browsing trip to Asian outlets in Denver, I had spotted a stack of the cast iron serving dishes, like the ones they applied at Akasaka. I snapped one up for future testing of the recipe. But all my house attempts have been doomed to failure.

Then, in December, when I dropped by Kura Japanese Restaurant, 3478 Homework Parkway, for Wednesday Ladies Evening Out, I was shocked to see Sea Scallop Butter Yaki (pan-seared scallops with butter sauce) on the menu. Of course, I ordered the appetizer and was pleasantly amazed to identify it tasted essentially as ideal as my gold common at Akasaka.

Even greater, proprietor Song Brinck was added than glad to give me the recipe on my to begin with request - and she invited me to be part of her in the kitchen area to look at her put together the dish so I could see all the particulars and nuances of the recipes. I reached for my Flip Video digital camera to report the operation. Visit gazette.com to see the video.

The sauce recipe, as my close friends and I had often guessed, was fairly very simple: 1 cup mayo, one/four cup chopped onion, two tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, 2 tablespoons white Karo syrup, a pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon soy sauce.

I've ready the recipe a couple of occasions and look for it gets the position executed of having a delicious scallop appetizer.

There is even now a lacking ingredient that separates this dish from the most memorable Akasaka model. But, what the heck, it can be just another reason to dig out the cute cast iron plate and initiate including Asian substances to the fundamental sauce till I hit on the proper mix.

The sauce ingredients should certainly be blended in a meals processor. Heat a skillet through superior warmth and include 4 tablespoons of butter. Dredge 6 sea scallops in flour and saute in the butter. Include 3-four tablespoons of the sauce to the pan and warmth until eventually the sauce begins to caramelize. Serve immediately.

If you have a cast iron plate, warmth it as the scallops are being sauteed. When the scallops are browned, location them on the very hot plate and include the sauce.

One ultimate be aware: Use sea scallops that are dimensions ten-20, which suggests there will be 10 to twenty vast scallops for each pound. I uncovered the most appropriate value at Asian Pacific Current market, 615 Wooten Road. Seem in the frozen fish location. They have been $six.99 for a tray of 14 vast scallops.

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Attain Farney at 636-0271. Listen to her "KVOR Table Talk" radio present noon to 1 p.m. Saturdays on 740 AM.

Author: TERESA FARNEY