The Staub Cookbook: Modern Recipes for Classic Cast Iron

Staub, founder of the French cookware company that bears his name, together with Frederickson, a recipe developer and blogger (A Life Well-lived), show cooks how to get the best out of various skillets, as well as the classic enamel Dutch oven, “the darling of top chefs worldwide” and centerpiece of Staub’s product line (pans for each recipe are “guides, not absolutes,” so home cooks can swap out other brands of similarly sized pans). Readers looking for classic cocotte-friendly dishes like coq au vin and beef bourguignon will find them, but the authors also include some surprising recipes, such as mejadara rice with lentils and fried shallots. Indulgent chocolate babka buns or kale shakshuka with feta, garlic, and lemon are examples of the hearty brunch fare the authors present. Sides and salads feature creamy parmesan and hazelnut leek gratin, as well as oven-roasted root vegetables with tangy mustard sauce. Jim Lahey’s famous no-knead cast-iron bread recipe along with an innovative oven-baked asparagus risotto are included, and among the soups and stews are short ribs and Dungeness crab stew with fennel and citrus. For dessert, Frederickson suggests a maple-spiced pear crumble or a giant buttery toffee blondie. The company hard sell is apparent; still, cooks of all levels will enjoy preparing these solid, quality dishes. [em](Sept.) [/em]