I purchased a cast iron skillet a little over a month ago, and it’s been one of the best kitchen investments I have made recently. Little did I know when I purchased it, that I could cook and bake so many savory and sweets with it. Originally, the idea for purchasing the skillet came to me when I was browsing through frittata recipes and several recipes mentioned utilizing a cast iron skillet to get the best results. Not having a skillet on hand, I started looking online and found a pretty good deal on a Coleman 10-inch model on Amazon (less than $20). The key to using a cast iron pan is to ensure it is well seasoned after each use. There are many sites devoted to seasoning cast iron pans, but since I primarily cook vegetarian/eggetarian dishes at home, I prefer to season with a simple coating of olive oil after each use (after washing and drying the skillet).
I treaded into new territory last weekend, when I decided to make a sweet dish of apple crisp using the skillet. I had loads of fresh home-grown apples at home, courtesy of a good friend who gifted me several pounds of sweet and tart ones from her very own tree. I found the following recipe online and seriously, this was one of the easiest and most satisfying treats to make. I followed this recipe from Food.com because it had received so many positive reviews. It turned out so well, that I, too, followed up with a positive review! The dish is best served warm with either a side of ice cream or creme fraiche. Not only is it finger lickin’ good, there’s an added bonus that your house will smell like Thanksgiving dinner any time of the year!
http://www.food.com/recipe/apple-crisp-20591
Apple mixture with spices and sugar:
Caramelizing the apples with butter and sugar in the skillet:
After baking:
Served warm with a dollop of creme fraiche!
