INTRODUCTION
Welcome. We’re so glad you could join us. We wrote this book with your dinner table and you in mind. You, the beginner who has always wanted to try cooking with cast iron. You, the seasoned chef who shares our love for this remarkable material. You, the Staub owner who wants inspiration for Sunday suppers. We’ve poured our expertise into these pages to help you make the most out of your cast-iron cookware.
Staub cast iron isn’t just gourmet kitchenware. It inspires people to cook, and to cook better, to try new recipes, and to share meals with loved ones. Staub brings people together in the kitchen, online, around the table for a delicious meal, and, now, in these pages.
When we set out to compile our first-ever cookbook, we knew we wanted it to be a community affair. Our cookware is beloved by notable chefs from around the world, as well as countless home cooks. The recipes would need to resonate with all of them. So we turned to a cook we’ve long admired for elevating everyday affairs: Amanda Frederickson. As it turned out, she loves Staub as much as we love her cooking.
From there, we checked in with friends: chefs, influencers, and other professionals who believe in our cookware as much as we do. Many responded in minutes. They contributed recipes that are a mix of classics and inventive spins. Then we added a few traditional French dishes, a nod to the company’s roots in France, and some weeknight and weekend morning dishes. The goal was to compile approachable and inviting recipes that pique the palates of all home chefs—from amateur to gourmet.
You’ll notice that there is not a “how-to” section or a glossary of ingredients. We aim to inspire by doing: cook a recipe and you’ll learn techniques or maybe even a new flavor combination, while getting a delicious dinner, breakfast, or dessert on the table. We’ll give you the tools to make the most out of our cookware every time. The braised chicken on page 142 is exceptional as it is, but the second time you give it a go you might want to riff—lemons and capers? Citrus and thyme? Be our guest.
Ever since the day Francis Staub brought his first cocottes to a few local stores in Alsace, France, all of our cookware has been made from enameled cast iron. Sturdy but not unwieldy, the heft of a Staub fry pan alone is enough to instill confidence in any cook, not to mention the guarantee of even heat and a good sear.
Unlike traditional cast-iron cookware, Staub is remarkably easy to care for—it can be washed with soap and doesn’t need to be seasoned. The exteriors have a colorful sheen, in hues and silhouettes crafted to feel classic for eternity because they
will actually last that long—it’s one of the things that makes Staub so revered. Which is perhaps why we see our cocottes everywhere, set proudly on your stoves even when you’re not cooking with them. We spot them on restaurant tables, as much a part of the decor as the actual decor, and out in the open in chefs’ carefully considered restaurant kitchens. They command pride of place wherever they go.
We’ve subtitled this compilation
Modern Recipes for Classic Cast Iron to reflect the way so many of us cook today. We want quick and flavorful weeknight dinners, but we might invest a little more time and effort on weekends or when we’re entertaining. So you’ll find recipes for make-ahead breakfasts and slow-rise breads, twenty-minute dinners and long-simmered specialties. You can start small or go big right off the bat—we simply invite you to celebrate the pleasures of cooking.
Bon appétit!
Copyright © 2018 by Staub, with Amanda Frederickson. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
