ABC Wednesday ~~ letter "I"

Go To Mrs. Nesbitts Place

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Ummm Illuminating this “I”

One Incline near the HASP Last week Hubby and I were walking about and he SPIED Ice on an inclined tree…Snap snap I go

Water draining off the farm pond

There is Indigo, as with these flowers sitting on an Iron stand with an Illuminating lamp that looks like a man with two ducks that as well illuminate.

tee hee how DUCKY

Ummmmmmmmmmm Or the Iris in this bouquet…

Shallots

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But I finally settled down for this: Something about the home that I use frequently…our Cast Iron skillets [one of several]… this weekend I will be re-seasoning them… The one that is often used in my shots of food prep, is a skillet we have had for 36 years…

Radicchio with cannellini beans

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We also have the one skillet my parents had…after re-seasoning; it still produced an excellent product… the fish for Sunday’s dinner. Recipe at the end: ~~~~~~~~

Fe (Latin: ferrum) and atomic number 26. Iron is a group 8 and period 4 element. Iron is a lustrous, silvery soft metal. It is one of the few ferromagnetic elements Cast IRON In the 1800s cast iron cookware enjoyed tremendous popularity. Bare cast iron

The Fish [Tilapia]

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Bare cast-iron vessels have been used for cooking for hundreds of years.[1] Cast iron's ability to withstand and maintain very high temperatures makes it a common choice for searing or frying, and its excellent heat diffusion and retention makes it a good option for long-cooking stews like gumbo or Chili con carne. Because cast iron skillets can develop an extremely "non-stick" surface, they are also a good choice for egg dishes, particularly scrambled eggs. Other uses of cast iron pans include making cornbread and pineapple upside-down cake. The development of bronze and iron metalworking skills allowed for cookware made from metal to be manufactured, although adoption of the new cookware was slow due to the much higher cost. After the development of metal cookware there was little new development in cookware, with the standard Medieval kitchen utilizing a cauldron and a shallow earthenware pan for most cooking tasks with a spit employed for roasting.[3][4]

By the 17th century, it was common for a western kitchen to contain a number of skillets, baking pans, a kettle, and several pots along with a variety of pot hooks, and trivets. In the American colonies, these items would commonly be produced by a local blacksmith from iron while brass or copper vessels were common in Europe and Asia. Improvements in metallurgy during the 19th and 20th centuries allowed for pots and pans from metals such as steel, stainless steel and aluminum to be economically produced.[4]

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History of Cast Iron Cookery

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Cast iron is basically iron that is poured into a mold to create some useful implement. Cast iron pots and pans are made in this way. Pots and cauldrons were originally made from brass because iron could not be worked until furnaces creating heat enough to melt it were invented (about 513 B.C. in China and not until 1100 A.D. or so in England). At this point, pots could be made by making molds out of sand and pouring molting metal into the mold.

The Lemon Vinaigrette

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Cast iron cookware was highly valued in the 18th century. George Washington's mother thought so much of her cookware she made special note to bequeath her cast iron in her will. In their expedition to the Louisiana territory in 1804, Lewis and Clark indicated that their cast iron Dutch oven was one of their most important pieces of equipment. Today cast iron cookware, because of its many qualities, and questions about the health effects of other metals, is experiencing resurgence in popularity. ~~

Cooking with cast iron actually adds iron to your diet, as much as 3 milligrams for every 3 ounces of food cooked. The more acidic the food you cook, the more iron is leached from the pan. Iron is critical to human health, especially that of women and infants. And, as with modern non-stick pans, you need less oil to cook food properly, reducing the use of fats, which can contribute to heart disease and other problems if used excessively.

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Cast Iron Cookery

~ Civil War Cookware

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Black Iron How to Care for Your Cast Iron Skillet [includes recipes] ~~

Sundays Dinner à la our cast iron RE-Seasoned Skillets!

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Whitefish with Lemon Vinaigrette Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis Recipe SummaryDifficulty: Easy Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Yield: 6 servings User Rating: 8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 shallots, thinly sliced 1 large head radicchio (about 12 ounces), coarsely chopped 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 1/3 cup fish broth Salt and freshly ground black pepper 6 (5 to 6-ounce) whitefish fillets, such as tilapia All-purpose flour, for dredging Lemon Vinaigrette, recipe follows Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the radicchio and sauté until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the beans and broth, and cook until the beans are heated through, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Season the radicchio mixture, to taste, with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a 14-inch (or 2 smaller) nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the fillets with salt and pepper. Dredge the fillets in flour to coat completely. Shake of the excess flour and fry 3 fillets in each pan until they are golden brown and just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Spoon the radicchio mixture over the center of the plates. Top with the fillets. Drizzle the vinaigrette over and serve immediately. Lemon Vinaigrette: 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh Italian parsley leaves 2 cloves garlic 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil Blend the lemon juice, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a blender. With the machine running, gradually blend in the oil. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with more salt and pepper. Yield: scant 2/3 cup Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: none

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Episode#: EI1F04Copyright © 2003 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved

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Bon appétit!