Char Roasted Cast Iron Filet With White Cheddar Habanero Mashed Potatoes Recipes

CAST-IRON PIZZA

Steps:

• Place a 12-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven and preheat to 500 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, roll or stretch the dough into a 14-inch circle. Carefully remove the skillet from the oven. Drizzle two thirds of the olive oil into the skillet, then carefully transfer the dough to the skillet, pressing the dough up the edges. Spread the sauce over the dough, making sure to get all the way to the edges. Shingle the pepperoni over the sauce and top with the mozzarella pearls. Brush the exposed dough with the remaining olive oil. Bake on the bottom rack until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes.
• Transfer to a cutting board, top with torn basil, cut into slices and serve.

MASHED POTATOES WITH CHEDDAR

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a 6-qt. stockpot; add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook, uncovered, 15-20 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat cream, butter and salt until butter is melted, stirring occasionally., Drain potatoes; return to pot. Mash potatoes, gradually adding cream mixture. Stir in cheese.

CAST IRON STEAK FILETS WITH ROASTED SHALLOTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the shallots and garlic with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to coat and wrap in aluminum foil. Roast until the shallots are soft and the garlic is golden, about 30 minutes. Cool and chop.
• Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. While pan is heating, coat the filets on all sides with 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons canola oil, salt and pepper. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons canola oil to the pan and tilt to fully coat the bottom. Add the filets and cook until a crust forms on the bottom, 3 minutes. Flip and let cook on the other side for 4 more minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook until a meat thermometer inserted in the center of the filets reads 130 degrees F for medium-rare, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer the filets to a serving platter. Put the skillet over medium-low heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the remaining 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce and the chopped shallots and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until warmed through and coated with the liquid in the pan, 1 to 2 minutes. Spoon over the filets and serve.

VERMONT CHEDDAR MASHED POTATOES

Steps:

• Boil potatoes in well-salted water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well in a colander and place in the bowl of a stand mixer with a wire whisk attachment. Beat at medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes to allow steam to escape.
• Turn off mixer and add cheese, baking powder, salt, pepper, cayenne and nutmeg. Beat again for a minute or so.
• Add butter and cream, mixing slowly, then increase speed to medium and drizzle in beaten eggs. Stop and scrape down bowl with rubber spatula to make sure ingredients are incorporated evenly. Beat at medium-high speed until mixture is smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Serve immediately in a heated bowl. Alternatively, transfer potatoes to a 2-quart baking dish, cover with foil and let stand at room temperature. Reheat for 30 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees, until piping hot. (If you want the top browned, remove foil halfway through baking. Otherwise give the potatoes a stir before serving.)

CAST-IRON MAC AND CHEESE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat broiler. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (covered to speed things up). Heat a large cast-iron skillet (8 to 10 inches across, and 2 inches or more deep) over low heat.
• 2. When the water boils, add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. Set a timer, since you'll be distracted by the next steps.
• Use a thick potholder with that skillet! Cast iron gets very, very hot. After burning my hand one too many times, I learned to pull a small dishtowel through the hole in the skillet's handle. It serves as a good visual reminder-just be sure it's kept well away from the flame. One of my mom-testers offered another bit of advice: Always use two (potholdered) hands when picking up a cast-iron pan. Otherwise, you might casually try to grab it with your free, bare, hand. Ow.
• 3. While the pasta cooks, make the cheese sauce: Put the butter into the now very-hot skillet. It should melt, foam, and begin to brown almost immediately. Pour in the milk, then add the mustard, paprika, and salt, and whisk together.
• 4. Set aside 1/2 cup of the grated cheese for topping the final dish. Begin to add the rest of the cheese to the skillet, one handful at a time, whisking between each addition. When it has all melted, sift the flour over the skillet, one tablespoon at a time, whisking after each spoonful. Stop adding the flour when the sauce is almost as thick as housepaint.
• Easiest way to sift small amounts of flour: Use a regular old strainer.
• 5. Continue to cook the sauce, whisking constantly, until pasta is cooked. Drain the pasta well and add to the skillet, then remove from the heat.
• 6. Stir pasta and cheese sauce together until fully combined, then sprinkle the top with the reserved grated cheese. Broil until top is browned and bubbly, 4 to 6 minutes. Cool for a few minutes before serving.
• VARIATIONS
• • Go southwestern by adding a strained 10-ounce can of diced tomatoes and green chiles (such as Ro-Tel) or a generous cup of your favorite salsa, drained. Use Cheddar and Jack cheeses in the sauce. • Smoke it up by frying 2 diced strips of bacon in the skillet before adding the milk. Skip the butter completely. • Add 8 ounces frozen vegetables (your choice) to the pasta pot about 5 minutes before pasta is done. Since the water will take a little time to come back up to a boil, increase the cooking time by a minute or two. • Don't laugh, but a couple of diced hot dogs, cooked in the butter then removed until you stir it back in with the cooked pasta, makes for a surprisingly delicious twist. Use organic, kosher, or even tofu pups. • Make it secretly healthy by stirring a 10-ounce package of frozen butternut squash puree, defrosted, into the cheese sauce just before adding the pasta.

WHITE CHEDDAR MASHED POTATOES

Steps:

• Cover the potatoes with water in a large saucepan and add 2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes (check with fork). Drain well.
• Place the hot potatoes in a large mixer bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat until smooth. Add the butter and sour cream and whip for 20-30 seconds. Add the remaining 1 tsp salt, white pepper, and cheddar. Whip to incorporate. Add the cream and whip until the potatoes are smooth.