Georgia Magazine - February 2018 - 40

LODGE CAST IRON

Bubbly mac 'n' cheese serves up nicely in a cast-iron casserole by Lodge Cast Iron.

This recipe from the "Lodge Cast
Iron Cookbook" authors and cast-iron
aficionados Julie Kramis Hearne and
Sharon Kramis is simple and delicious.
Mussels should be cooked until their
shells open up and they are plump
and juicy; if they don't open, don't eat
them. Serve with a crusty loaf of your
favorite bread to sop up all the tasty
juices.

Chef Deborah VanTrece makes
extensive use of cast iron at her
Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours
restaurant in Atlanta. With two
colleagues-chef and cookbook
author Jennifer Hill Booker and
mixologist Tiffanie Barriere-she
has formed the Cast Iron Chronicles, an event series designed to debunk the myths of "soul food."

Iron Skillet Roasted Mussels

Pork Chops Smothered in
Tomato Sage Gravy

1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 leek (white part only), rinsed well, chopped
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 pounds mussels, scrubbed, debearded
(discard any that won't close)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a 10- to 12-inch cast-iron skillet
or 5-quart Dutch oven, combine wine,
butter, leek and red pepper flakes.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce the heat to medium, add
the mussels and cover. Cook until
the shells open and the mussels are
plump, 8-10 minutes; discard any that
won't open.
Sprinkle the parsley over the top
and season with a dash of salt and
pepper. Serve right from the skillet
or Dutch oven with sliced bread.
Serves 6.
-Reprinted with permission from
the "Lodge Cast Iron Cookbook"
40

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon seasoning salt
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons onion powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 medium pork chops
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
4 cloves minced garlic
1 cup diced tomatoes
4 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
8 to 10 sage leaves, plus more for garnish

Place flour in a shallow pan.
Mix together seasoning salt, kosher
salt, garlic powder, onion powder,
black pepper and cayenne pepper,
and rub onto pork chops. Add any
leftover seasoning to flour mixture.
Dredge seasoned pork chops in
flour, shaking off excess. Reserve
the seasoned flour.
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Pour oil into a large cast-iron
skillet set over medium heat. Once
the oil is hot, place the pork chops
in the pan. Brown the pork chops for
about 4 minutes on one side, then
turn and brown another 4 minutes
on the other side. Remove the pork
chops from the pan and whisk in the
reserved seasoned flour to the seasoned drippings. Once the flour is
mixed into the fat drippings, whisk
in the chicken broth, garlic and tomatoes. Return the pork chops to the
pan, season to taste and simmer for
about 5 minutes. Add the sage and
cover with lid or foil.
Bake pork chops in a 350-degree oven until tender or about
30 minutes. Remove from oven and
allow to rest for about 10 minutes.
Add sage leaves to garnish and serve
with rice, noodles, potatoes or dumplings. Serves 6.
Vidalia onions grow only in
South Georgia and are available from
late April until mid-September. They
can be found in most grocery stores
during these months.
Carolyn Gonce LeRoy has had
this cornbread recipe for more than
40 years and makes it often. The recipe comes from the "Lodge Cast Iron
Cookbook."

Vidalia Cornbread
2
1
1
2
2
1
2

cups white self-rising cornmeal
tablespoon sugar
teaspoon baking powder
cups milk
tablespoons vegetable oil
large egg, slightly beaten
cups finely chopped Vidalia onions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a 9-inch cast-iron skillet.
In a large bowl, combine the
cornmeal, sugar, baking powder,
milk, oil and egg until well-blended.
Note: The batter will be thin. Stir in the
onions, mixing well.
Pour batter into prepared skillet
and bake until golden-brown, about
40 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before cutting into wedges. Serves 8.
-Reprinted with permission from the
"Lodge Cast Iron Cookbook"
GEORGIA MAGAZINE

http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - February 2018