As we pack our bags to set off to France to tour the Staub factory in Alsace, France, we managed to get our hands on Staub’s first-ever cookbook and wanted to share a few of our favorite recipes — so far.
The cookbook is a celebration of cooking with the iconic cast-iron cookware and ranges from make-ahead breakfasts and slow-rise breads to twenty-minute dinners and long-simmered suppers.
Chocolate Babka Morning Buns (makes 7-9 buns)
Michelle Lopez, of desserts and baking blog Hummingbird High, baked up this recipe by combining three beloved breakfast treats: babka, morning buns, and cinnamon rolls.
Buttermilk Dough:
- 31⁄2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup buttermilk, warmed to
- 110°F, plus more if needed
- 1 large egg
- 1⁄4 cup vegetable oil
Chocolate Filling:
- 8 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
- 1⁄4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1⁄4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 3⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of kosher salt
Simple Syrup Glaze?
- 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar
For Serving:
- Roughly chopped pecans
- Confectioners’ sugar
1. Make the dough: In a large bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, instant yeast, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and oil. Add the flour mixture to the bowl and change the whisk attachment to the dough hook.
3. Mix on low speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. If the dough is sticky, add flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough is smooth. If the dough is dry, add more buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time.
4. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and keep in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size,
about 11⁄2 hours.
5. As the dough is rising, prepare the chocolate filling: In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the dark chocolate until it is very finely chopped with some parts almost powdery. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is evenly distributed. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt and process until evenly distributed. At this point, you should have a crumbly mixture that resembles clumps of cookie crumbs. Set aside.
6. Once the dough has doubled in size, transfer it to a lightly floured counter and use a rolling pin to roll it into a rectangle about 12 by 20 inches. Sprinkle the chocolate filling evenly over the surface of the dough, making sure to go right up to the edges of the dough.
7. Coat a medium cast-iron fry pan with butter. Working widthwise, roll the dough into a log, pinching the edges to seal. Cut the roll into 7 to 9 pieces that are 2 to 21⁄2 inches wide. Place cut side down in the prepared fry pan in a circle, with one bun in
the middle. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until the edges of the rolls are rounded and touching each other, 1 to 1 1⁄2 hours.
8. During the second rise, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the buns for 30 to 35 minutes, until the edges of the buns are golden in color. If the tops of the rolls start to brown too quickly, cover with aluminum foil and continue baking until a skewer comes out clean.
9. Let cool on a wire rack until warm.
10. While the rolls are cooling, make the simple syrup glaze: Combine the sugar and ½ cup water in a petite French oven over high heat. Whisk to dissolve the sugar and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and use a pastry brush to immediately brush each roll with a generous amount of syrup while the rolls are still warm. It may seem like there is too much syrup for the buns, but just be patient and let the syrup soak in before brushing again. Garnish with pecans and confectioners’ sugar and serve warm from the pan.
Asparagus, Chanterelle, and Chevre Frittata with Chervil (makes 4-6 servings)
Frittatas are wonderfully versatile, brilliant for using up leftovers or the season’s bounty. This dish takes advantage of the best of spring, with bright asparagus and a garnish of fresh chervil.
- 8 large eggs
- 1⁄2 cup half and half
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 leek, white and light green parts, cut in half and thinly sliced
- 8 ounces chanterelle mushrooms, sliced if large
- 1 bunch (about 12 ounces) asparagus, woody ends trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 ounces chèvre, crumbled for serving
- Chopped fresh chervil
- Flaky sea salt
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, half-and-half, kosher salt, and pepper. Set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a medium cast-iron fry pan over medium heat. Add leek and cook for about 2 minutes, until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the asparagus and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until it turns bright green and begins to soften slightly.
4. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds
5. Top the asparagus0mushroom mixture with the egg mixture. Sprinkle with the chèvre and cook the frittata on the stovetop for about 3 minutes, until the sides begin to set. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the eggs are set.
6. Serve immediately, topped with pepper, chervil, and a sprinkling of flaky sea salt.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Avocado and Lime (makes 4-6 servings)
Dan Kluger, chef and owner of the New York City restaurant Loring Place, focuses on channeling seasonal flavors in unexpected yet delightful ways. This recipe is a prime example.
Brussels Sprouts:
- Kosher salt
- 2 pounds medium brussels sprouts, cut in half through the root end
- 1⁄4 cup olive oil
- Pinch of freshly ground
- black pepper
Dressing:
- 1⁄4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1⁄4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
- A large pinch of kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1⁄2 cup roughly chopped fresh basil
- 1⁄4 cup roughly chopped fresh mint
- 2 tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds
- 1⁄2 red finger chile, thinly sliced
- 1⁄2 large avocado, sliced
- Zest of 1 lime
- Flaky sea salt and freshly
- Ground black pepper
1. Prepare the brussels sprouts: Fill a bowl with ice and water to create an ice-water bath.
2. Bring a large cast-iron cocotte of water to a boil and salt it. Add the brussels sprouts and cook for about 2 minutes, until tender but not fully cooked.
3. Drain, then shock them in the ice water. Drain again and dry on paper towels.
4. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Heat the oil in a large cast-iron fry pan over medium-high heat. Add brussels sprouts and 1 tablespoon salt and stir to coat the brussels sprouts in the oil. Place in the oven and roast for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and evenly roasted.
5. Remove from the oven and transfer the brussels sprouts to a paper towel-lined plate.
6. Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk the lime juice, oil, mustards, honey, Tabasco sauce, and salt. Set aside.
7. Add the oil to the pan that the brussels sprouts were roasted in and heat over medium-high heat. Add the basil, mint, sunflower seeds, and chile and quickly fry for about 30 seconds.
8. Place the brussels sprouts on a serving platter and top with the avocado.
9. Drizzle about 3 tablespoons of the dressing over the top, garnish with the herb and seed mixture, and finish with the lime zest and a pinch of flaky sea salt and black pepper.
Beef Bourguignon (makes 6-8 servings)
This quintessential French dish is an essential to get through the winter.
- 2 1⁄2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 8 ounces bacon, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 6 carrots, diced
- 4 celery stalks
- 1 pound cremini or button mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1⁄2 cup cognac
- 2 cups dry red wine, such as Pinot Noir
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, toss the beef with the flour and a large pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. In a large cast-iron cocotte, render the fat from the bacon over medium-low heat until the edges of the bacon are crispy. Remove the bacon to a large bowl, leaving the rendered fat in the pan. Increase the heat to medium high. Add the beef to the fat in the pan and brown it on all sides. Remove the beef from the pan to the bowl with the bacon. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and mushrooms to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds, or until aromatic. Remove vegetables from the pan to the bowl with the beef.
4. Deglaze the pan with the cognac and cook until reduced by half, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits. Add the wine, stock, tomato paste, thyme, brown sugar, and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat. Return the bacon, beef, and vegetables to the pot, cover, and place in the oven.
5. Cook for 1 1⁄2 to 2 hours, until the beef is fork-tender. Remove from the oven, taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Serve garnished with parsley.
Kimchi Fried Rice (makes 4-6 servings)
Alana Kysar, Hawaii native and founder of cooking lifestyle blog Fix Feast Flair, shares her family recipe for kimchi fried rice, a funky, fermented taste explosion.
- 2 tablespoons mild-flavored oil, such as grapeseed
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 1⁄2 cups kimchi, roughly chopped
- 1 to 2 tablespoons gochujang
- 4 cups cooked day-old short-grain rice, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 1⁄2 cup chopped green onions
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- Salt
For Serving:
- Shredded nori seaweed
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Fried eggs (optional)
1. In a large cast-iron fry pan, heat the mild-flavored oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the kimchi and gochujang and cook for 4 minutes, or until the liquid at the edges of the kimchi starts to simmer.
2. Meanwhile, toss the rice with the sesame oil. Add the rice and 1⁄4 cup of the green onions to the the pan with the kimchi.
3. Drizzle the soy sauce over the rice and stir-fry for 4 to 5 minutes, until the rice is hot and has absorbed all of the liquid. Taste and add salt if needed.
4. Remove the pan from the heat, spoon into bowls or onto a plate, and top with the remaining 1⁄4 cup green onions, some shredded nori, and sesame seeds.
5. Top each bowl with a fried egg.
Whether you’re new to Staub, or already part of the Staub family, head here to learn more!
Reprinted with permission from The Staub Cookbook, copyright © 2018. Photography by Colin Price. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
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