Fashion the pan

My husband Edward and I soon will begin major renovations in our home. The kitchen will be totally ripped up and outfitted with new stainless steel appliances, pure cherry cabinets, tile floor and granite countertops.

It will be a mess living with this disruption, but the good news is it forced us to toss out old cookware and gadgets.

I recently threw out two old nonstick skillets and wanted to replace them. Off Edward and I went to Fante’s in the Italian Market, one of my favorite stores. Sending me loose at Fante’s is like sending Elizabeth Taylor on a spree at Harry Winston’s.

Fante’s was very busy on a recent sunny Saturday afternoon. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee greets you at the door, along with a knowledgeable staff that is second to none on kitchen advice. From the look of hustle and bustle and long lines at the cash registers, it is obvious people are cooking and baking. Fante’s stocks a huge inventory; let me put it to you this way — if Fante’s doesn’t have it, it doesn’t exist.

Mariella Esposito owns Fante’s with her brother, Nick Giovannucci. I’ve known Mariella for years and always look to her whenever I add any type of item to my kitchen.

Mariella and I talked about nonstick skillets. We narrowed the choice down to All-Clad and Cuisinart. All-Clad is much more expensive than Cuisinart, although both are high quality. I settled on 10-inch and 12-inch Cuisinart skillets.

I always have wanted a cast-iron frying pan. I purchased one with grill ridges that I can use for steaks, chops, chicken, fish — even sausages and hot dogs. The Lodge Logic brand is made in South Pittsburgh, Tenn., and you don’t have to season their pans before you use them.

"Just rub a bit of olive oil all over the surface of the pan before you use it," advised Mariella.

I also finally purchased a 12-inch nonstick splatter screen that I can place over any size skillet to prevent hot oil from splattering over the top of my stove.

Here are recipes for dishes I can prepare with my new cookware.

Rib Steaks with Roquefort Butter

Ingredients:

2 (6-ounce) rib steaks
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons Roquefort cheese, softened

Directions:

Make sure the beef is at room temperature before you begin cooking. Wipe the steaks with paper towels and set aside. Brush a cast-iron skillet with the olive oil. Place the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steaks and grill them for a few minutes on each side for rare. Grill a minute or two more on each side for medium rare. If the olive oil and fat are splattering, cover with a splatter screen.

As the steaks grill, blend together the butter and cheese. When ready to serve, place each steak on a plate, top with a sprinkling of kosher salt and pepper and add a dollop of the Roquefort butter so it melts on the sizzling steak.

Serves two.

Note from Phyllis: You can substitute Stilton or imported Gorgonzola for the Roquefort. Boneless rib steaks are called Delmonico steaks. Recipe can be easily doubled. Roquefort butter is also delicious on grilled hamburgers.

Grilled Salmon

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil
Juice of 1 small lemon
Juice of 1 small lime
Dash of hot pepper sauce
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 (6-ounce) salmon steaks of fillet of salmon

Directions:

Whisk all the marinade ingredients together in a small bowl. You can then pour it into a jumbo Ziploc bag or into a shallow pan large enough to accommodate the fish. Marinate the fish for a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Bring fish to room temperature before you cook it.

Place a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fish and grill a few minutes on either side. Check for doneness. Fish should still be a bit translucent inside. If the fish is too raw, grill another minute or two on each side.

Pour the marinade into a small saucepan. Heat through. Place the fish on two serving plates and pour the warmed marinade over the fish.

Serves two.

Note from Phyllis: Recipe can be easily doubled.

Chicken and Sausages with Peppers and Onions

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons olive oil
4 chicken breasts on the bone
4 sausages of your choice
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 fat cloves of garlic, sliced
1 medium onion, diced
1 (28-ounce) can imported plum tomatoes

Directions:

Place the sausages in a microwaveable dish. Pierce the sausages all over with a fork. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for four minutes. Turn them over and microwave on high for another four minutes. Drain the sausages and set aside.

Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet. Add the chicken and sausages and saut� on each side for a few minutes. Remove the chicken and sausages from the skillet and set aside. You may have to add a little more olive oil to the pan.

Add the red pepper, garlic and onion to the pan. Saut� over medium-high heat until the onion is translucent, about three minutes or so. Place the chicken and sausages back into the skillet. Using your fingers, gently pull apart the tomatoes into chunks and add to the pan. Add the liquid as well.

Bring the contents of the skillet to a boil, lower the heat to medium, cover the skillet and cook for about 30 minutes.

Serves four.

Note from Phyllis: I always buy my sausages from Sonny D’Angelo in the Italian Market or from Martin’s in the Reading Terminal Market. The selection in both places is dazzling. Since chicken has a mild flavor, hot Italian sausages, chorizo or andouille works well in this dish. I also like the sweet Italian sausages with broccoli rabe and cheese. The sauce is delicious over pasta.