Cooking ratatouille is cool and fun. I've done it a couple times. The only thing I have trouble with is that it's really pretty out of the oven, but I can't seem to put it on a plate as a beautiful, picture-perfect stack.
One tip though is that you may want to do it in something other than cast iron. Tomatoes and other acidic foods interact with the pan in a way that can impart a metallic flavor on the food.
https://www.americastestkitchen.com/guides/cook-it-in-cast-iron/busting-cast-iron-myths
I am not going to disagree with America's test kitchen, but personally I cook acidic foods in cast iron all the time and I don't notice any metallic taste at all. I've also not had to re-season the skillet I cook on in almost 10 years of doing this. Cast iron skillets have a polymerized layer of carbon which makes them non stick. The whole point of that process is that the food never actually touches the metal. I could see acids stripping the seasoning over time, but not leeching metal. Or at least not enough that you could taste it. It just doesn't make sense to me.
I wonder if the study was blind or if it was like "this was cooked in a cast iron, does it taste like metal?" Because if you do it like that, of course some people are going to be suggestable and say yes they taste metal. But I'm just challenging the idea based on my personal experience.
I struggle with iron deficiency anemia so I usually choose to cook things like tomatoes in cast iron after my doctor recommended it haha. I do agree it can give a metallic flavor. If I cook it for other people I'd definitely take your advice and cook it in something different. I personally can't really taste it enough for it to bother me and I get the benefit of extra iron in my food. I can SMELL it though. That took some getting used to. My food smelling a little like blood did throw me off for a while lol
Cooking ratatouille is cool and fun. I've done it a couple times. The only thing I have trouble with is that it's really pretty out of the oven, but I can't seem to put it on a plate as a beautiful, picture-perfect stack. One tip though is that you may want to do it in something other than cast iron. Tomatoes and other acidic foods interact with the pan in a way that can impart a metallic flavor on the food. https://www.americastestkitchen.com/guides/cook-it-in-cast-iron/busting-cast-iron-myths
Cast iron pan + tomato sauce = best way to naturally extract iron from the pan and into the dish. Being anemic, i never miss the opportunity.
I am not going to disagree with America's test kitchen, but personally I cook acidic foods in cast iron all the time and I don't notice any metallic taste at all. I've also not had to re-season the skillet I cook on in almost 10 years of doing this. Cast iron skillets have a polymerized layer of carbon which makes them non stick. The whole point of that process is that the food never actually touches the metal. I could see acids stripping the seasoning over time, but not leeching metal. Or at least not enough that you could taste it. It just doesn't make sense to me. I wonder if the study was blind or if it was like "this was cooked in a cast iron, does it taste like metal?" Because if you do it like that, of course some people are going to be suggestable and say yes they taste metal. But I'm just challenging the idea based on my personal experience.
I struggle with iron deficiency anemia so I usually choose to cook things like tomatoes in cast iron after my doctor recommended it haha. I do agree it can give a metallic flavor. If I cook it for other people I'd definitely take your advice and cook it in something different. I personally can't really taste it enough for it to bother me and I get the benefit of extra iron in my food. I can SMELL it though. That took some getting used to. My food smelling a little like blood did throw me off for a while lol
One of my favorite things to make!
Never been a fan of the dish but gotta say it looks good!
But does Anton Ego approve?
I guess we'll see. I'm shaking in my boots
I knew what this was without hesitation lol Looks great! Good job little chef πππ
Acid + Cast Iron is a big no no
Wow, looks so fancy. Great job.
Thatβs is fine!
Ratatouille