I have a lazy-man's way of doing this. I put some oil in the pan and spread it all around, then wipe it up with a paper towel until there is just a very thin la

I have a lazy-man's way of doing this. I put some oil in the pan and spread it all around, then wipe it up with a paper towel until there is just a very thin layer. Then I put on a lid and turn on the flame as high as it can go. After a minute or two it starts to smoke. I turn down the heat a bit and let it smoke for a minute, then turn off the heat and let it cool. I know, this is not as good as doing it right, but it is a whole lot better than nothing, and the surface works well for my cooking.