THE

Strong and sturdy, cast iron not only lasts a lifetime but improves with use.

A well-seasoned pan is an exceptional cooking surface, with even heat retention

and the ability to move from stovetop to oven to campfire. To celebrate this

exceptional collection, Best Made has partnered with our favorite chefs to curate

a series of recipes perfect for cast iron cooking.

Francis MallmannChef, Author, and Restaurateur

Max Ng Executive Chef, Momofuku Ssäm Bar

patch trofferChef, Marlow & Sons

C. W. “Butch” Welch (Cee Dubs)

Author, Game Warden, and Dutch Oven Cook

Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo

Chefs & Co-Owners | Joint Venture Restaurant Group

Carla Lalli Music Chef, Writer, and Food Director

at Bon Appétit

Grammy Yukie’s Cast Iron Fried Rice

By Patch Troffer Chef, Marlow & Sons

I N G R E D I E N T S

3 tbsp neutral oil, like grapeseed or canola

4 cups cooked white rice, cold (I use Kokuho Rose, a medium grain japonica variety from Koda Farms in California)

3 tbsp soy sauce or tamari

2 cups cooked vegetables and/or meat (I like spring peas and broccoli rabe)

2 eggs, whisked with a pinch of salt added

2 scallions, sliced thinly

D I R ECT I O N S

1. Get a cast iron pan hot over medium-high heat.

2. Add oil, which should be hot enough that it moves freely and shimmers, and perhaps begins to smoke a little.

3. Add rice to the pan, keeping some largish clumps intact.

4. Turn heat down to medium, and stir and turn rice with a large flat metal spatula for about a minute or two — the rice will crisp a little, but not much.

5. Add soy sauce and quickly stir to distribute; the soy sauce will caramelize and crisp the rice.

6. Leave the rice to crisp on the bottom for a couple of minutes, then turn, in large chunks, to crisp another side. Repeat this once more.

7. Add vegetables, and stir.

8. Move the rice to the edges to make a hole in the middle of the pan.

9. Add egg, and stir quickly as it cooks; don’t worry if some rice gets mixed into the egg.

10. Once cooked, distribute the egg, add scallion, and check for salt (my mom always adds black pepper here, but I don’t).

11. Add scallions and serve immediately — top with furikake, hot sauce, or whatever else you’d like.

2 S E R V I N GS

"My grandma moved from Japan to South Carolina in the

50s after marrying my American grandpa. With scant

available Japanese ingredients, she got crafty in making

meals for her family using what she had access to, while

still holding on to Japanese culinary tradition; she always

made fried rice in a cast iron pan, and almost always with

peas and carrots and plenty of soy sauce (for which she

would write monthly letters and send money to Katagiri

Market in New York City). You can add any vegetables you

wish, or even meat, but it helps if they’re fully cooked first.

The rice MUST be cold, as hot fresh rice will make a gummy

mess. This makes it the perfect throw-all-the-leftovers-

into-a-pan-I-have-no-time-to-cook kind of meal."

Smashed Potatoes

Francis MallmannChef, Author, and Restaurateur

I N G R E D I E N T S

4 red or white all-purpose potatoes, about 5 oz each, well scrubbed

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 bay leaf

¼ tsp black peppercorns

Coarse salt

D I R ECT I O N S

1. Put the potatoes in a large saucepan and add the red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the bay leaf, peppercorns, and salt to taste. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook at a low boil for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender enough to be pierced through with a skewer. Drain in a colander; do not allow them to cool, or they will break instead of smash.

2. Put a potato on a clean dishcloth on a work surface, cover with another clean dishcloth, and using the palm of your hand, slowly and gently smash the potato. Transfer to a tray. Repeat with the remaining potatoes. Spoon the remaining ¼ cup olive oil over the potatoes.

3. Heat a chapa or large cast-iron griddle over medium-low heat until a drop of water sizzles on the surface. Put the potatoes on the hot surface, oiled side down, and cook for around 40 minutes until they are crisp: don’t move them!

4. Carefully remove the potatoes as they are cooked and invert onto a serving platter, crisp side facing up. Serve immediately.

S E R V ES 4

“When you boil your potatoes for smashing, it’s

important to start them in cold water. They cook more

gently that way, and are less likely to break up and

become soggy. Olive oil and vinegar as well as bay leave

and pepper in the cooking water add subtle flavor. If

cooking outdoors, parboil the potatoes ahead of time."

Buttery Pan Clams with Ginger and Scallions

By Carla Lalli MusicChef, Writer, and Food Director at Bon Appétit

I N G R E D I E N T S

2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling

2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and crushed

3 garlic cloves, smashed

1 small serrano chile, thinly sliced

2 bunches scallions (white and pale-green parts only), thinly sliced, divided

4 dozen littleneck or Manila clams, scrubbed

Thick slices of rustic country bread, for dipping

4 tbsp (2 oz) unsalted butter

D I R ECT I O N S

1. Prepare a grill for medium-high direct heat (if you don’t have a grill, do everything as written on your stovetop).

2. Place a large cast-iron or heavy stainless steel skillet on grill grates and add oil. When the oil is hot, add ginger, garlic, chile, and half of the scallions and stir until vegetables are sizzling, about 1 minute.

3. Add clams and ½ cup water (or white wine, if you have a bottle open), toss to coat, and cover the skillet with a lid, baking sheet, or large piece of foil. Cook, checking and stirring every few minutes, until the clams begin to open, 5 to 10 minutes.

4. Transfer cooked clams to a large shallow bowl or platter with a slotted spoon as they open, but be quick about it. If you end up with a couple of stubborn clams that refuse to open, discard them. They might be fi lled with sand, or they might be conscientious objectors. Either way, don’t eat them.

5. Keep pan sauce warm, off to the side. Drizzle bread generously with oil on both sides. Place over direct heat and grill until golden brown and delicious looking on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes (or toast in a toaster and then drizzle with oil). Set aside.

6. Add butter to pan sauce and slide skillet back over direct heat. As soon as the butter is foaming, about 1 minute, return clams and any accumulated liquid to sauce, shower with remaining scallions, and toss to coat.

7. Serve clams with bread and a large empty bowl for discarding the shells.

4 T O 6 S E R V I N GS

Reprinted from Where Cooking Begins: Uncomplicated

Recipes To Make You a Great Cook. Copyright © 2019 by

Carla Lalli Music.

Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin

Random House, LLC.

Skillet Cornbread

By Max NgExecutive Chef, Momofuku Ssäm Bar

I N G R E D I E N T S

1 cup finely ground yellow cornmeal

¼ cup all-purpose flour

2⁄3 cup granulated sugar

1 ½ tsp baking soda

½ tbsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt

4 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup canned creamed corn

1 stick unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 tbsp cold

T O P P I N GS

Several scoops of vanilla ice cream

1 cup Blueberry and Red Wine Compote

COMPOTE INGREDIENTS

1 cup red wine

½ cup sugar

1-pint blueberries

½ lemon, juiced

D I R ECT I O N S

1. Whisk the cornmeal, fl our, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl and set aside.

2. In a second bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, and creamed corn.

3. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until combined.

4. Slowly stream the melted butter into the batter, and whisk to combine.

5. Chill the batter overnight, or up to three days (this hydrates the cornmeal).

6. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375ºF.

7. Remove the batter from the refrigerator and mix well to reincorporate all the ingredients.

8. Preheat a 10” cast iron skillet over medium heat, and melt 1 tbsp butter until just beginning to brown.

9. Pour the batter into the skillet and bake for approximately 15 minutes. The idea is to undercook the cornbread so that it is soft to the touch and wobbles in the center.

10. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

11. Top with ice cream and Blueberry and Red Wine Compote before serving.

BLUEBERRY AND RED WINE COMPOTE DIRECTIONS

1. Add red wine and sugar to a medium skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Once the sugar is melted and the mixture is bubbling, reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. The mixture should thicken and coat the back of a spoon.

3. Add the blueberries, and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes.

4. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice.

5. Set aside and allow to cool.

S E R V ES 8

Hungry Ridge Chicken

C.W. “Butch” Welch (Cee Dubs) Author, Game Warden, and Dutch Oven Cook

I N G R E D I E N T S

6-8 cloves garlic

3-4 tbsp olive oil

1-2 boneless chicken breasts per hunter

Two 12 oz cans of beer, chicken stock, or equivalent water

One 12 oz package wide egg noodles

One 26 oz can cream soup (such as mushroom, celery, or chicken)

Salt and Pepper

Seasonings, as desired

D I R ECT I O N S

1. Mash up the garlic and sauté it in olive oil in the Dutch oven.

2. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, and cook them with the garlic for 4 to 5 minutes, turning once.

3. Add the beer, chicken stock, or water to the chicken and garlic in the Dutch oven. Place 10 to 15 briquets underneath and allow to cook for 30 to 40 minutes (alternatively, you can bake in an oven at 375 °F for the same amount of time).

4. Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to package directions, but halve the cooking time. Drain and reserve excess water.

5. Pull the lid off the Dutch oven, spoon in the noodles, and pour the soup over top. Return to the coals and continue cooking for 15 to 20 minutes.

6. Add 1 to 2 cups of water reserved from noodles if the original liquid has cooked off. This will keep the bottom from scorching.

SERVES 6 TO 8, DEPENDING ON HOW HUNGRY THE HUNTERS ARE

Cee Dub created what has become one of his

favorite hunting camp Dutch oven dishes

over 25 years ago after a November day spent

slogging through calf-deep snow with two of

his game warden buddies.

His only inspiration was the desire to quickly

whip up a tasty and filling meal for three

famished hunters. By lantern light in their

wall tent, he rummaged through his grub

boxes and began pulling out ingredients as his

companions stoked the stove in the tent and

started a roaring campfire out front.

By the time he finished prepping his impromptu

creation, the coals from the campfire were

ready. In the cozy comfort of his wall tent,

they changed into dry clothes and sipped a

couple of beers while supper cooked next to

the campfire. After supper they crawled into

their sleeping bags — as the lantern light

faded, the vote was unanimous: Cee Dub

would make this particular recipe in all their

future camps.

Yes, they were hungry as they trudged into

their ridge top camp, but pull out a map of

the Clearwater National Forest and you'll

find ‘Hungry Ridge’ high above the 1890's

mining camp of Golden along the South Fork

of Clearwater River in Central Idaho.

Flaming Crepes Suzette

Jon Shook and Vinny DotoloChefs & Co-Owners | Joint Venture Restaurant Group

I N G R E D I E N T S

1 cup whole milk

3 large eggs

1 tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra as needed

½ cup all-purpose flour

2 oranges

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup Grand Marnier or Cointreau

2 tbsp unsalted butter

Vanilla ice cream

D I R ECT I O N S

1. Whisk ½ cup of the milk, the eggs, and 1 tablespoon of oil together in a large bowl. Add the flour and whisk until smooth, then whisk in the remaining ½ cup milk. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 2 days.

2. Brush your cast iron skillet with a little oil and set it over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Ladle about ¼ cup of batter into the skillet. Swirl the skillet to coat the pan bottom evenly and cook the batter until golden brown, 30 to 60 seconds, adjusting the heat as needed so the crepe doesn’t get too dark.

3. Run a heat-proof silicone rubber spatula around the edges of the crepe to release it from the skillet, then flip the crepe over and brown the other side. Transfer the cooked crepe to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter.

4. Optionally, at this point, you could just spread your crepes with jam or Nutella and roll to serve — but to make the Flaming Crepes Suzette, fold each cooked crepe into quarters, and set aside.

5. Using the small holes of a box grater or a citrus zester, remove the zest from the oranges (just the zest, not the bitter white pith) and juice them to get ½ cup juice.

6. Bring the orange juice and sugar to a simmer in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the sugar is dissolved, add the Grand Marnier or Cointreau, and using a long wooden match, ignite the sauce (don’t keep the open bottle of alcohol near the stove).

7. Let the alcohol burn off, then add the zest and unsalted butter. Once the butter melts, add the folded crepes to the skillet and turn over in the sauce to coat well.

8. Serve topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

MAKES 10 CREPES