Monday, August 27, 2012

Grilling - Cast Iron Style

I use my cast iron skillet a lot during the indoor cooking months, and I've been toying with the idea of using it on the grill. The other night I bought some scrod and it was so hot I couldn't bear the thought of turning on the stove or the oven, so it was time to pull out the skillet. It provided the perfect vessel for cooking the fish to a moist and flaky perfection. The white fishes like scrod, halibut, and sole just don't hold up well on the grill, and this works much better than the grill accessories I've tried in the past. Plus, as an added bonus you'll be able to preserve the tasty pan juices to spoon over the fish before serving.



So you know how it goes...once you get started the possibilities are endless. Last night I roasted potatoes. Look how they finished with a nice crispy crust. They didn't last long when they hit the table.



While you're roasting in the skillet you can share the grill with a meat of your choice. We love the pork sausage from Fancy's Market in Osterville. Serve this up with a salad of chopped romaine, garden tomatoes and fresh basil and you'll have a light summer meal that will keep your fans happy and the kitchen cool.


Scrod with Green Peppers in a Lemon Butter Sauce

Serves 3 
1 lb of Fresh Scrod
1 green pepper, sliced into thin rounds
Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
A few pats of butter
1 lemon

Heat your outdoor grill to medium heat.

Cut the scrod into 3 or 4 equal pieces and place in a cast iron skillet.  Drizzle each piece with olive oil and top with a few slices of butter. Sprinkle each piece with a healthy pinch of sesame seasoning. Cook for 10 minutes with the grill cover closed, then squeeze 1/2 half of a lemon over the fish. Cook for 2 more minutes then remove from the pan with a metal spatula. Pour a little bit of the pan juices over the fish when serving. 

Roasted Potatoes

Serves 3 - 4
1.5 lbs of fingerling or new potatoes
Sea salt and pepper
Fresh rosemary

Heat your outdoor grill to low to medium heat.

Parboil your potatoes until a fork pierces them easily, but they don't break apart. Strain and cool for about 10 minutes. Cut into 1 inch pieces. Coat the potatoes with extra virgin olive oil then sprinkle with salt, pepper and finely chopped fresh rosemary. Toss well with a rubber spatula so you don't break up the potatoes. Place the skillet on the grill and close the cover. Turn the potatoes every 10 minutes until they're golden brown. Cooking time is about 50 minutes.

If you're serving the potatoes with the fish,  then cook them first. If you're cooking a meat just calculate its cooking time to coincide with the potatoes.