Cast Iron Skillet One-Pan Meals: 75 Family-Friendly Recipes for Everyday Dinners

The wonders of cast-iron cooking are celebrated in this versatile collection from chef Freeman (A Hearty Book of Veggie Sandwiches). The author offers tips on how to get the most out of a cast-iron skillet, including drying a cleaned pan on the stove top over low heat and then rubbing it with a bit of olive or vegetable oil. Freeman also shares practical shortcuts for dishes that require considerable preparation, most notably, a tangy spanakopita, which calls for store-bought phyllo sheets. Mouthwatering meatless options include dishes such as orecchiette with butternut squash, leeks, and sage. Tantalizing seafood dishes, such as brown butter halibut with celeriac, are as filling as they are zesty. Poultry, beef, and pork recipes feature unexpected but appealing flavor combinations, among them edamame-ginger rice with chicken, and grits-crusted ham and cheese quiche. All have the added bonus of only calling for one pan, and cleanup, Freeman shows, only requires a quick wipe with a paper towel followed by a rinse under hot water. Extolling the many virtues of cooking with cast iron, Freeman will make novice and seasoned chefs eager to practice their skills and ace one-pot meals. (Nov.)