Two questions about two kinds of "seasoning"

Q1.

I recently decided to boil some baby potatoes in my cast iron pan (to be smashied and sizzled-up therein later). During the boil I noticed a thin brownish skin bubbling up all around the lip of the pan. Later, when I could get a good look at it, I think there is a layer of cooked-on food all over the interior surface of the pan and the boiling water caused the edge of it to bubble up. Is this something to worry about?

I've never owned a cast iron pan before so I am a little dismayed that my cleaning technique is so faulty... unless this is supposed to happen? ::confused::

Q2.

Tonight's dish was made in three separate pans: rice, mixed vegetable saute, pan-sauteed squid. They were served one atop another. For arcane reasons, all the herbs and spices ended up in the rice and the vegetables and almost none on the squid. I thought it mattered... the squid seemed very plain, but Pumpkin says that if you're going to eat them all together anyway....

What do you think of this reasoning?


Jeff

Q1 cooked on food or cooked on oil? I don't generally use cast iron for prolonged boiling as it's likely to take off some of the seasoning.

Q2 personally I'd always use at least S&P on the squid, but not sure how much it matters. But curious about arcane reasons.

[Jenise]

Q1--Dale's onto it. That was your seasoning boiling up--and, unfortunately, away. You WANT that build-up, that's what will keep future dishes from sticking. Build it up and protect it with your life. Next time, boil in a different pan, then brown in the cast iron.

Q2--I beg to differ with Pumpkin. Every bite deserves to be properly seasoned. If you were to make the dish again but this time prepare half the squid as you did and, say, marinate the other half in some wine and herbs before cooking, you'd notice the difference in the assembled layers. And you'd like the second one better.

Q1. OK, boil elsewhere. Thanks. The damage is only along the edge so it'll be fine.

Q2. The arcana here is the ongoing tussle between Pumpkin and myself about how to make rice. We use a 50-50 mix of wild rice and brown rice, usually an American basmati hybrid ("Jasmati", "Texmati").

I boil the water/broth, with maybe a dollop of oil or butter added, add the rice, stir, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes, give or take. If I were going to be really careful, I'd start the wild rice 10 minutes ahead and trim the subsequent mixed pot back to 35 minutes.

His Majesty soaks the mixed rices for a half hour, or so, in the water/broth, heavily seasoned with black pepper, garlic, herbs and oil; then brings up the boil, covers, and simmers for 20-25 minutes. Thus, seasoning is inconsistent.

Pan edge:

2016-05-17 11.11.24 sm.jpg

2016-05-17 11.11.24 closeup.jpg

that's cast iron? Seasoned? I don't think so.

Well, it's really heavy, black, says "Lodge" on the bottom, and I bought it at a respected kitchen equipment place so, yes, I believe that it is a cast-iron pan.

Sorry! I guess it's the lighting, looked light grey to me. Although I guess up at edges it looks more like seasoned cast iron. It does look like the seasoning is mostly gone. But easy enough to re-season.
I love my cast iron skillet but mostly use it for sears/sautes, nothing with boiling or with acidic sauces.
I used to have a couple of Lodge dutch ovens, but gave away because enameled/Creuset dutch ovens were more versatile.
Good luck!

Not the world's greatest pictures.

The surface is mostly intact; I'll 'burn' some oil onto the edges and build it back up soon enough.