Easy, one-pan recipes for large sautee pan?
June 5, 2009 5:47 PM Subscribe
Easy, one-pan recipes for a non-cook who owns a gorgeous new Cuisinart pan?
Mr. tristeza gave me a beautiful 12.5" Cuisinart non-stick pan (looks vaguely like a wok) that has handles on both sides, glass cover and is oven-proof (I think?).
I don't cook.
Can you suggest any
1) one-pan
2) easy(ish)
recipes to take advantage of this lovely piece of cookware?
No restrictions - bring on the meat.
Mr. tristeza gave me a beautiful 12.5" Cuisinart non-stick pan (looks vaguely like a wok) that has handles on both sides, glass cover and is oven-proof (I think?).
I don't cook.
Can you suggest any
1) one-pan
2) easy(ish)
recipes to take advantage of this lovely piece of cookware?
No restrictions - bring on the meat.
Response by poster: torquemaniac - thank you, yes, it is pretty much the perfect stir fry pan. I've not had the best luck getting a stir fry to taste anything other than bland crap, but a good cookbook would for sure help (I can't just throw stuff together and have it be good)
I should say I'm looking for recipes in addition to the typical stir fries - like, pasta dishes, meat/rice dishes, stews, etc.
posted by tristeza at 6:16 PM on June 5, 2009
I should say I'm looking for recipes in addition to the typical stir fries - like, pasta dishes, meat/rice dishes, stews, etc.
posted by tristeza at 6:16 PM on June 5, 2009
Best answer: Hmm...the shape of the pan probably limits you to stir fries and their ilk, really. That's not bad, of course--that's what the pan is designed to do.
You could try this, which I normally do in a flatter skillet: heat up a bit of oil and butter, add chicken and brown gently. You could cut up the chicken into smaller pieces so you can keep them moving, and brown different sides when they're in contact with the bottom of the pan. When they're browned, lower the heat a bit and add minced garlic, a bit of lemon juice, a splash of white wine, and whatever herbs you've got lying around. Rosemary, thyme, parsley, that kind of thing. Cover and cook until the chicken is done and the sauce is reduced.
posted by Garak at 6:37 PM on June 5, 2009
You could try this, which I normally do in a flatter skillet: heat up a bit of oil and butter, add chicken and brown gently. You could cut up the chicken into smaller pieces so you can keep them moving, and brown different sides when they're in contact with the bottom of the pan. When they're browned, lower the heat a bit and add minced garlic, a bit of lemon juice, a splash of white wine, and whatever herbs you've got lying around. Rosemary, thyme, parsley, that kind of thing. Cover and cook until the chicken is done and the sauce is reduced.
posted by Garak at 6:37 PM on June 5, 2009
Best answer: Won't be traditional with nonstick wok like pan, but try a paella.
Or dirty rice.
Find a recipe on the internet that has ingredients you like. Do not skimp on saffron. But a little goes a long way.
Both are easy for a non-cooker to attempt and succeed at.
posted by Seamus at 6:38 PM on June 5, 2009
Or dirty rice.
Find a recipe on the internet that has ingredients you like. Do not skimp on saffron. But a little goes a long way.
Both are easy for a non-cooker to attempt and succeed at.
posted by Seamus at 6:38 PM on June 5, 2009
Best answer: CURRIED CHICKEN & RICE: Put 1 raw boneless chicken breast in the freezer (so it'll be easy to slice). Sauté 3-5 cloves of thinly sliced garlic in 1 T oil in bottom of pan over medium heat till translucent, add 1 chopped spanish onion and bring heat up to medium-high. Season onion aggressively with salt, pepper, chopped parsley, and dried basil and oregano and sauté until soft. Take chicken breast from freezer, slice 1/4" thin across the grain, add to onions and stir-fry till chicken is done. Add 2 1/4 cups of warm water, raise heat to high, and cover till boiling. Add 1 cup white rice and 1-2 teaspoons curry powder, reduce heat to low, and simmer while stirring occasionally until no liquid appears at bottom of pan. Turn heat off and let sit 5 min. Top with fresh chopped parsley & eat, cackling like a happy monkey. Try to save some for leftovers (add leftovers to chicken stock for a great curried chicken & rice soup!)
Works a treat with chopped-up beef or lamb too.
posted by nicwolff at 6:57 PM on June 5, 2009
Works a treat with chopped-up beef or lamb too.
posted by nicwolff at 6:57 PM on June 5, 2009
Best answer: Thai cashew chicken. It's hard for me to tire of it!
posted by ignignokt at 7:06 PM on June 5, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by ignignokt at 7:06 PM on June 5, 2009 [1 favorite]
Best answer: If your new pan can handle a few minutes under a broiler, try this:
Skillet Pork and Peppers
Ingredients
1 large pork tenderloin (about 11/2 pounds), trimmed
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, thickly sliced
2 red and/or yellow bell peppers, sliced into wide strips
6 cloves garlic, smashed
16 fresh sage leaves
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup sliced pickled pepperoncini, plus 2 teaspoons liquid from the jar
1/3 cup dry white wine
2/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Preheat the broiler. Slice the pork on an angle into 1-inch-thick pieces; season with salt. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat; add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the onion and bell peppers; season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender and slightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet. Add the pork and sear over high heat until browned, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the pork to the plate with the onion and peppers.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic, sage and tomato paste to the skillet. Cook, stirring, until the tomato paste turns brick-red, about 1 minute. Add the pepperoncini slices and their liquid, then pour in the wine and bring to a boil. Add the broth and return to a simmer. Arrange the pork in a single layer in the skillet; add the onion and peppers and sprinkle with cheese. Transfer to the oven and broil until the pork is cooked through, 4 to 7 minutes.
You can also do this with thin pork chops or chicken cutlets. If you double the "sauce" ingredients and cook a package of angel hair pasta, you'll be very happy.
posted by ersatzkat at 7:21 PM on June 5, 2009 [1 favorite]
Skillet Pork and Peppers
Ingredients
1 large pork tenderloin (about 11/2 pounds), trimmed
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, thickly sliced
2 red and/or yellow bell peppers, sliced into wide strips
6 cloves garlic, smashed
16 fresh sage leaves
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup sliced pickled pepperoncini, plus 2 teaspoons liquid from the jar
1/3 cup dry white wine
2/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Preheat the broiler. Slice the pork on an angle into 1-inch-thick pieces; season with salt. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat; add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the onion and bell peppers; season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender and slightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet. Add the pork and sear over high heat until browned, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the pork to the plate with the onion and peppers.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic, sage and tomato paste to the skillet. Cook, stirring, until the tomato paste turns brick-red, about 1 minute. Add the pepperoncini slices and their liquid, then pour in the wine and bring to a boil. Add the broth and return to a simmer. Arrange the pork in a single layer in the skillet; add the onion and peppers and sprinkle with cheese. Transfer to the oven and broil until the pork is cooked through, 4 to 7 minutes.
You can also do this with thin pork chops or chicken cutlets. If you double the "sauce" ingredients and cook a package of angel hair pasta, you'll be very happy.
posted by ersatzkat at 7:21 PM on June 5, 2009 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Yakisoba is my current favorite stir-fry. It's super easy, you can throw in whatever veggies you have sitting around, and it's not easily ruined by changing quantities
Ingredients:
Cooked soba noodles (use two bundles if dry, follow directions on package to cook)
One or two medium onions, coarsely chopped
Two or three carrots, peeled and sliced thin
1 lb thinly sliced chicken or beef, or cubes of tofu
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Sauce ingredients (mix together):
1 cup light soy sauce
1 cup sake (the cheap stuff works fine)
2 tbs sugar
Instructions:
1. Put 3 tbs vegetable oil in pan and heat to medium-high
2. Throw in onions and garlic, mix with oil, let cook for ~30 seconds (the garlic will burn if you're not careful)
3. Throw in other vegetables and meat
4. Turn heat to high, stir constantly. Continue until meat is cooked all the way through
5. Put noodles on top of stir-fry, and pour all of the sauce on top. Mix.
6. Continue stirring until most of the liquid has evaporated
7. Serve!
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 8:12 PM on June 5, 2009
Ingredients:
Cooked soba noodles (use two bundles if dry, follow directions on package to cook)
One or two medium onions, coarsely chopped
Two or three carrots, peeled and sliced thin
1 lb thinly sliced chicken or beef, or cubes of tofu
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Sauce ingredients (mix together):
1 cup light soy sauce
1 cup sake (the cheap stuff works fine)
2 tbs sugar
Instructions:
1. Put 3 tbs vegetable oil in pan and heat to medium-high
2. Throw in onions and garlic, mix with oil, let cook for ~30 seconds (the garlic will burn if you're not careful)
3. Throw in other vegetables and meat
4. Turn heat to high, stir constantly. Continue until meat is cooked all the way through
5. Put noodles on top of stir-fry, and pour all of the sauce on top. Mix.
6. Continue stirring until most of the liquid has evaporated
7. Serve!
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 8:12 PM on June 5, 2009
Best answer: Chop up a potato, tomato, some green pepper, some onion, whatever. Put olive oil or whatever you have into the pan, at somewhat appropriate intervals add the ingredients. Some dashes of Worchester sauce and lemon juice somewhere in there. It's not science, just know how long things need to cook, mix ingredients up with some idea of taste. Voila, dinner.
posted by hungrysquirrels at 8:15 PM on June 5, 2009
posted by hungrysquirrels at 8:15 PM on June 5, 2009
Best answer: Make Kadai Paneer!
Here's my recipe:
1/2 a package paneer (find it at Indian grocery stores) cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 tbsp oil
1 bell pepper sliced into long strips
1 onion chopped fine
2 cloves garlic crushed
1/2 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp cayenne
1 serrano pepper chopped fine (with seeds if you want it hot)
(Adjust cayenne and serrano quantities depending on your heat tolerance levels. The levels given here make it pretty spicy.)
2 tsp whole cumin seeds
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves to garnish
Heat the oil in your pan on medium high heat.
Add onion and garlic and fry until translucent.
Add cayenne, serrano pepper, whole cumin seeds, salt and pepper (don't oversalt, this should be adjusted at the end.).
Fry until fragrant. Do not allow the cumin seeds to burn.
Add the bell peppers and stir fry for 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, allow most of the water to evaporate over high heat.
Add half a cup of water, lower the heat and cover your pan with the lid.
Cook for ten minutes.
Remove the lid, allow most of the water to evaporate again and add the paneer cubes.
Stir carefully, coating the cubes with the gravy. Add more water if this difficult to do. Adjust salt to taste.
Pour into a serving bowl, garnish with chopped coriander. Serve with rice or Indian breads.
posted by peacheater at 8:52 PM on June 5, 2009 [1 favorite]
Here's my recipe:
1/2 a package paneer (find it at Indian grocery stores) cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 tbsp oil
1 bell pepper sliced into long strips
1 onion chopped fine
2 cloves garlic crushed
1/2 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp cayenne
1 serrano pepper chopped fine (with seeds if you want it hot)
(Adjust cayenne and serrano quantities depending on your heat tolerance levels. The levels given here make it pretty spicy.)
2 tsp whole cumin seeds
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves to garnish
Heat the oil in your pan on medium high heat.
Add onion and garlic and fry until translucent.
Add cayenne, serrano pepper, whole cumin seeds, salt and pepper (don't oversalt, this should be adjusted at the end.).
Fry until fragrant. Do not allow the cumin seeds to burn.
Add the bell peppers and stir fry for 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, allow most of the water to evaporate over high heat.
Add half a cup of water, lower the heat and cover your pan with the lid.
Cook for ten minutes.
Remove the lid, allow most of the water to evaporate again and add the paneer cubes.
Stir carefully, coating the cubes with the gravy. Add more water if this difficult to do. Adjust salt to taste.
Pour into a serving bowl, garnish with chopped coriander. Serve with rice or Indian breads.
posted by peacheater at 8:52 PM on June 5, 2009 [1 favorite]
Best answer: One of the tips for woks is to keep it at a high heat level. Otherwise the veggies kind of steam instead of searing. But I'm not sure if non-stick woks can do that or not. I'd experiment a bit with the level of heat - you want things to slightly char on the outside, not a slow/gentle simmer because that's how The Soggy happens.
posted by barnone at 9:20 PM on June 5, 2009
posted by barnone at 9:20 PM on June 5, 2009
Best answer: Be aware, that pan is almost certainly not oven safe. (Non-stick coatings need to be kept under a certain temp or they flake off and release noxious odors.) That's why I sort of question the point of a non stick wok.....stir frys need to made on the highest heat possible, and that pan looks like it should be kept at medium high, max. Maybe it has some sort of nifty new coating? It should have come with a booklet explaining how to take care of it and what temp it can go to.
That said, here's a simple delicious chicken:
melt some regular olive oil and butter in the pan on medium high heat.
take a chicken that you have salted and peppered and put it in, breast side down
brown the breast.
turn with tongs and brown the back.
turn the heat down to medium low
add whatever sounds good - some sliced onions, a few chunked potatoes, some garlic maybe, whatever you like that might go well.
pour on some white wine, or chicken stock, just enough to come up about halfway up the chicken.
sprinkle with an herb like thyme or rosemary.
cover and walk away for an hour.
come back and serve with bread and salad.
You can play with flavors - soy and ginger, or indian spices, or a make a tagine-like thing with apricots and cinnamon - whatever you like.
posted by CunningLinguist at 9:40 PM on June 5, 2009
That said, here's a simple delicious chicken:
melt some regular olive oil and butter in the pan on medium high heat.
take a chicken that you have salted and peppered and put it in, breast side down
brown the breast.
turn with tongs and brown the back.
turn the heat down to medium low
add whatever sounds good - some sliced onions, a few chunked potatoes, some garlic maybe, whatever you like that might go well.
pour on some white wine, or chicken stock, just enough to come up about halfway up the chicken.
sprinkle with an herb like thyme or rosemary.
cover and walk away for an hour.
come back and serve with bread and salad.
You can play with flavors - soy and ginger, or indian spices, or a make a tagine-like thing with apricots and cinnamon - whatever you like.
posted by CunningLinguist at 9:40 PM on June 5, 2009
Best answer: You bought a wok. Woo hoo!
Now you need both of Fuchsia Dunlop's cookbooks:
Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook: Recipes from Hunan Province
Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
You might not be a cook yet, but once you realize how simple and delicious (and I mean 10x better than American "Chinese" food) authentic Chinese food can be, you'll become one in no time.
*Both of those books have many recipes that satisfy your requirement. There's a recipe for cabbage that's 1. chopped cabbage, 2. chilis, 3. soy sauce, 4. sesame oil that's so good, you'll find yourself buying multiple heads of cabbage just to satisfy your cravings for this recipe alone.
posted by foooooogasm at 10:31 PM on June 5, 2009
Now you need both of Fuchsia Dunlop's cookbooks:
Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook: Recipes from Hunan Province
Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
You might not be a cook yet, but once you realize how simple and delicious (and I mean 10x better than American "Chinese" food) authentic Chinese food can be, you'll become one in no time.
*Both of those books have many recipes that satisfy your requirement. There's a recipe for cabbage that's 1. chopped cabbage, 2. chilis, 3. soy sauce, 4. sesame oil that's so good, you'll find yourself buying multiple heads of cabbage just to satisfy your cravings for this recipe alone.
posted by foooooogasm at 10:31 PM on June 5, 2009
Best answer: This kind of pan is "hard anodized" which I though was awesome a year or two ago. I'm now somewhat less in love with them. You can't get a good sear, and building french traditional pan sauces are impossible, but hey, I've got other pans for that. Also NEVER put it in the dishwasher. They can't handle the acid in dishwashing detergent, and will get etched forever. (*shakes fist at roommates of past*)
However, these can really take the heat, unlike a teflon. There's no coating to burn off. I stick mine in the oven all the time.
Taking advantage of the shape, and non-stick, I'd suggest Chinese Eggs and Tomato, a simple homestyle dish.
I do love stir fries, and Steamy Kitchen has lots of non-intimidating asian fair. The trick to stir frying is to have everything ready before you start cooking, because it'll all be done in 10-20 min. Also try to check out Alton Brown's episode about it.
A few informal recipes we've been enjoying lately:
"Rasta" Pasta
Garlic, sesame green beans.
posted by fontophilic at 11:07 PM on June 5, 2009 [1 favorite]
However, these can really take the heat, unlike a teflon. There's no coating to burn off. I stick mine in the oven all the time.
Taking advantage of the shape, and non-stick, I'd suggest Chinese Eggs and Tomato, a simple homestyle dish.
I do love stir fries, and Steamy Kitchen has lots of non-intimidating asian fair. The trick to stir frying is to have everything ready before you start cooking, because it'll all be done in 10-20 min. Also try to check out Alton Brown's episode about it.
A few informal recipes we've been enjoying lately:
"Rasta" Pasta
- 1lbs sausage, your choice
- 2 Bell pepers, red and green, in strips
- an onion, frenched
- olive oil
- red chile flakes
- chopped garlic
- Salt and peper
- Parmigiana for topping
- 1 lbs of penne pasta
Garlic, sesame green beans.
- Green beans, washed and trimmed to bite size
- lots of chopped garlic
- toasted sesame oil
- salt and peper (sea salt is nice here)
posted by fontophilic at 11:07 PM on June 5, 2009 [1 favorite]
Best answer: A friend of mine isn't a cook, and she eats the saddest baked chicken possible. To that end, I took five ingredients in one pan to show her chicken doesn't have to be boring.
(This would be even better with onions and celery added with the carrots, and even better yet with spices like rosemary and bay leaf, and still yet even better with a splash of red or white wine before the tomatoes go in.)
posted by GamblingBlues at 4:19 AM on June 6, 2009
(This would be even better with onions and celery added with the carrots, and even better yet with spices like rosemary and bay leaf, and still yet even better with a splash of red or white wine before the tomatoes go in.)
posted by GamblingBlues at 4:19 AM on June 6, 2009
Best answer: I really like this crash crash course in stir-fry technique from Tigers and Strawberries. She also did a four part series on her guidelines for creating recipes yourself.
Part 1: Main Ingredients
Part 2: Aromatics
Part 3: Condiments
Part 4: Supporting Ingredients
She even follows it up with a recipe, if you're not feeling adventurous.
posted by clockwork at 6:48 AM on June 6, 2009 [1 favorite]
Part 1: Main Ingredients
Part 2: Aromatics
Part 3: Condiments
Part 4: Supporting Ingredients
She even follows it up with a recipe, if you're not feeling adventurous.
posted by clockwork at 6:48 AM on June 6, 2009 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks for all the great suggestions, y'all! Can't wait to try some.
posted by tristeza at 3:57 PM on June 7, 2009
posted by tristeza at 3:57 PM on June 7, 2009
Best answer: From the editors of Cooks Illustrated: The Best Skillet Recipes
posted by apartment dweller at 5:59 AM on June 8, 2009
posted by apartment dweller at 5:59 AM on June 8, 2009
Response by poster: hey ersatzkat!
If your new pan can handle a few minutes under a broiler, try this:
Skillet Pork and Peppers
We just made this and it was INCREDIBLE!!! Thanks for the recipe, wow, just lovely!
posted by tristeza at 8:26 PM on June 18, 2009
If your new pan can handle a few minutes under a broiler, try this:
Skillet Pork and Peppers
We just made this and it was INCREDIBLE!!! Thanks for the recipe, wow, just lovely!
posted by tristeza at 8:26 PM on June 18, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
Generally, you'll want to stir fry the meat, then add the veges & finish with seasonings. It's so ridiculously easy that it's difficult to give instructions.
Enjoy!
posted by torquemaniac at 6:09 PM on June 5, 2009