Kita - Man, a Pan, a Plan: Tk

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Internet addresses and telephone numbers given in this book were accurate at the time it went to press.

Some of the recipes were previously published in Mens Health magazine and on menshealth.com.

2017 by Rodale Inc.

Photographs 2017 by Rodale Inc.

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Book design by Elaine Ahn and Amy C. King

Photography by Mitch Mandel/Rodale Images

Food stylist: Michelle Gatton

Prop stylist: Kaitlyn duRoss Walker

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file with the publisher.

ISBN: 9781635650044 paperback

ISBN: 9781635650051 e-book

We inspire health, healing, happiness, and love in the world.

Starting with you.

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If youre reading this, thank you. First off, only truly dedicated (or bored!) cookbook readers ever turn to the introduction. But secondly, and most importantly, it means that you care enough about what youre eating to purchase, or seriously consider purchasing, this book.

You may not feel this way, but consider yourself lucky. Too many people dont think about what they consume on a daily basis. Too many people think that cooking is too hard or not worth the trouble. Too many people see the supermarket as a place to pick up premade meals instead of choosing to make healthy choices. Too many people have given up control of their diets. And, in doing so, theyve missed out on the comfort, satisfaction, pride, wonder, and glory of cooking for themselves and the people they lovenot to mention reaping the benefit of eating home-cooked food as compared to, say, a Salisbury steak TV dinner.

But you, youre one of the special ones. You know that cooking empowers you. You know that choosing to decide exactly what goes into your body is a delicious form of self-care. You know that under the right conditions, with a little practice, cooking isnt hard or inconvenient. It is even, more often than not, really fun.

And thats what A Man, A Pan, A Plan is ultimately all about: fun. Youre not going to find any convoluted multiday recipes in this book. Youre not going to have to search the ends of the planet to source specialty ingredients. Youre not going to find any precious recipe notes about the golden days in provincial France. What you will find, though, is plenty of practical advice and straightforward recipes that involve tools you already own, resulting in meals youll immediately place among your favorites. By cooking meals in one pan, youll save stress, prevent mess, and reduce your chances of culinary distress.

Cooking is a lot like building a birdhouse. With the right equipment, a smart set of plans, and some ambition, you can make something beautiful. Is there a possibility of screwing up somewhere along the way? Sure. But thats part of the learning process.

The big difference between carpentry and cookingand perhaps cookings greatest advantageis that you get to eat the birdhouse.

Paul Kita

Allentown, PA

April 2017

The 12-Inch Cast-Iron Pan

Theres something to be said about a cooking device that also doubles as a weapon. A cast-iron pan is hefty. Its sturdy. Its formidable. Its also relatively inexpensive (most will cost you about $50). But its no oaf, either. Due to its heavy, one-piece construction, a cast-iron pan can heat to screaming temperatures, puffing up dough for to juicy perfection. Cast iron also maintains steady heat at lower temperatures, morphing into an almost Crock-Pot-like vessel should you pop a lid on it and place it in the oven. The right cast-iron pan, some say, can even recite Hamlets soliloquy. All this said, a cast-iron pan will treat you only as well as you treat it. Like any other symbiotic relationship, you will depend upon each other over the course of your lives. Here are the keys to that healthy relationshipcast irons love languages, if you will.

Cast-iron pans must never suffer under abrasion. Try not to use metal tools when cooking with cast iron. Will occasional stirring with a serving spoon damage the surface? Probably not. But will scraping the seasoning with a metal spatula or, worse yet, scrubbing it with steel wool hurt? Absolutely. Be gentle. Use wooden or silicone tools whenever possible.

Cast-iron pans must never go through the dishwasher. Make this blunder and the pans seasoning, or protective coating, will deteriorate, and this can lead to scars in the surface or rust. No one ever says, Dinner was delicious, but it could have used a touch more ferrous oxide. Hand-wash your pan, dry it quickly, pour a dab of oil on its surface, rub it in with a paper towel, and store.

Cast-iron pans must never be stored hap hazardly. If your kitchen cabinets are as organized as a teenagers bedroom, this is going to be a challenge. See, if other pots and pans rest beneath or atop cast iron, all that banging around you do when youre trying to find something could lead to scrapes or dings in the surface. Not good. There is a simple solution, however: Place a sheet or two of paper towels between any pans nesting within the cast-iron pan. Think of it as putting the pan to bed when not in use.