McMillan - Sheet Pan: Delicious Recipes for Hands-Off Meals

SHEET PAN

delicious recipes for hands-off meals

KATE McMILLAN

Photography by
RAY KACHATORIAN

meat

seafood

vegetables

Sometimes the simplest way is also the best way, which is the idea behind this book: sheet-pan cooking is not only easy, its also a remarkably effectiveand versatileway to prepare one-pan meals. Offering the same kind of simplicity and convenience as one-pot cooking, sheet pans are especially ideal for baking, roasting, and broiling, techniques that yield depth of flavor with maximum ease and minimum effort.

The low sides and large, flat cooking surface of a sheet pan (a restaurant term for a rimmed baking sheet) allow the heat of the oven to reach the entire surface of foods as they cook. High, even heat quickly seals the exterior of the ingredients, drawing out their natural sugars so that they crisply brown on the outside while staying meltingly tender and tasty on the inside. This means that the flavor of meats as well as vegetables is intensified while their texture is enhancedgood news for vegetarians and for parents wanting their family to eat more vegetables.

Sheet-pan cooking is one-pan cooking: an entire meal can be prepared quickly and easily and then served straight from the oven. Because the ingredients cook fast and cleanup is simple, sheet-pan cooking is a great way to prepare family dinners, weeknight meals, and comfort foods. And its also a smart choice if youre hosting a dinner party: the ingredients can be prepped in advance and then slipped into the oven while you spend time with your guests over appetizers and drinks.

The recipes in this book showcase the versatility of sheet-pan cooking, ranging from light and seasonalVegetable Pizza Tarts, Brussels Sprouts & Potato Hash with Baked Eggs, and Roasted Caesar Salad with Salmonto heartier and more complex, such as Moroccan-Spiced Lamb Chops with Vegetable Kebabs & Cucumber Raita. Notable for their inspired combinations of fresh, nourishing ingredients, the recipes can also be customizeduse them as guidelines and mix and match your favorites.

Made of aluminum or stainless steel, sheet pans were originally designed for baked goods, such as cookies, rolls, and biscuits, but are equally well suited for savory dishes and are a mainstay for home cooks and chefs alike. Commonly known as rimmed or sided baking sheets, they may also be called jelly-roll pans, as they are traditionally used to make thin sheets of sponge cake. While restaurant-style sheet pans tend to be large (18 by 26 inches/45 by 66 cm), the ones used by home cooks are either small (12 by 8 inches/31.5 by 21 cm, known as quarter sheet pans) or standard (18 by 12 inches/45 by 30 cm, known as half sheet pans). Regardless of size, sheet pans are rectangular in shape and have rims that are 1 to 1 inches (2.5 to 4 cm) high. All of the recipes in this book were made using one or two heavy-duty half sheet pans with a 1-inch (2.5-cm) rim.

To use a sheet pan for baking, roasting, or broiling, first spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray. For even easier cleanup, spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray and line it with aluminum foil (for cooking meat) or parchment paper (for fish and vegetables). If using foil, then spray the foil lightly with nonstick cooking spray as well.

In general, cut foods to about the same size and thickness so they will all cook evenly on the sheet pan in the same period of time. You can add different ingredients in batches to allow for varied cooking times. Spread the ingredients in the pan in a single layer to ensure that they cook evenly.

Have a set of heavy metal tongs on hand; theyre indispensable for turning over ingredients in the pan and for transferring foods from the pan to a serving platter or cutting board.

Use a good-quality instant-read meat thermometerits the best way to test if meat is the perfect temperature.

With some exceptions, many meats and vegetables need to be brushed, sprayed, or tossed with cooking oil or a marinade containing oil before baking, roasting, or broiling.

Sheet pans are oven safe to 450F (230C).

A pan with a 1-inch (2.5-cm) lip is essential: the lip seals in juices for flavor, keeps meat juicy, and helps reduce the chance of hot liquid spilling as the pan is removed from the oven.

Make sure to preheat the oven to allow the heat to quickly seal the surface of the food. Most ovens take 15 to 30 minutes to preheat.

Sheet pans are dishwasher safe, but they may darken after repeated washings. If you want to preserve their original appearance, wash the pans by hand.

Dont use abrasive cleaning products or scouring pads, as they will scratch the surface of the pans.

ROASTED CHICKEN WITH GIANT CROUTONS, SWEET POTATOES & ARUGULA

This giant salad on a sheet pan is a beautiful and satisfying dinner. Croutons are especially delicious when toasted and then tossed in the meat juices and the vinaigrette from the arugula. Sweet potatoes and red onions, which roast alongside the chicken, round out the meal.

1 chicken (about 4 lb/2.25 kg)

5 tablespoons (80 ml) olive oil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

3 small sweet potatoes (about 1 lb/750 g), peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces

1 large red onion, cut into 6 wedges

loaf crusty Italian bread, cut into 1-inch (4-cm) cubes (about 3 cups/185 g)

3 cups (3 oz/90 g) packed baby arugula

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

cup (1 oz/45 g) dried currants

SERVES 46

1 Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil.

2 Brush the chicken with 2 tablespoons of the oil and place, breast side up, in the center of the prepared pan. Sprinkle the chicken with the oregano and thyme, and season generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes.