Cast Iron Skillet

We served these steaks with the Roast Parsnips and Sautéed Broccoli Rabe .

I know what you're thinking: Another crabcake. Well, all crabcakes are not alike. When this dish goes on Commander's menu, more than half our patrons will order it. They probably feel as my mother does: "True jumbo lump crabmeat is the caviar of Louisiana." We want to highlight the crabmeat, not mask it with heavy binders or frying, so this has no bread crumbs and only a small amount of binder. And the cakes are _not_fried, making them incredibly light. As for the accompaniment, crab and corn are a classic Creole combination.

Jody Adams makes this dish in a 14-inch cast-iron skillet with a lid, but since that size is rare in home kitchens, we've adapted the recipe for a roasting pan.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. No oil is needed to sauté these steaks—the juices from the meat mix with the salt to form a delicious crusty coating that prevents them from sticking to the pan.

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 25 min

A tangy feta and yogurt sauce is the perfect foil for these fresh-tasting latkes. They make a nice starter for a party of ten.

The following recipe calls for semiboneless quail. This means that the rib cage and backbone have been removed, but the wings and legs are left intact.

Frying tenderloins is like frying chicken: All recipes are fundamentally alike, but each has a twist, ranging from how the flour coating is seasoned to what the cooked meat ought to be drained on (paper towel? brown paper bags?).

Use a cast-iron skillet or other heavy skillet to make this recipe. Serve the bubbling cheese right from the pan, and partner the whole meal with icy Margaritas.

Grilled steak with late summer corn and a squeeze of lime juice. Sound wonderful? It is. Grilled potato wedges make a terrific side.

The following recipe is made with an electric blender, because it is so quick. If you do not have one, gradually blend the egg yolks into the flour with a wooded spoon, beat in the liquids by droplets, then strain through a fine sieve. Crêpe batter should be made at least 2 hours before it is to be used; this allows the flour particles to expand in the liquid and insures a tender, light, thin crêpe. The first crêpe is a trial one to test out the consistency of your batter, the exact amount you need for the pan, and the heat.