We love the crispy skin of pan-seared salmon, but not how it spatters and stinks up the kitchen. So we were happy when J. Kenji López-Alt tipped us off to shiozake, salmon made with a Japanese salt-curing technique that draws out moisture so the skin crisps with less spatter. Plus, no more white gunk, produced by a protein that coagulates with heat. Salt denatures that protein so it doesn’t coagulate. Curing for up to eight hours yielded good results, but four hours was ideal, for meaty flesh and ultra-crisp skin. To do it, rub salmon all over with kosher salt (use ½ teaspoon salt per 6-ounce fillet). Refrigerate, uncovered and skin down, on a paper towel-lined plate for four hours, then pat dry before cooking.
It’s time to retire the old rules of vinaigrettes. The classic 1:3 ratio of vinegar to oil, as well as relying on mustard to emulsify them, usually results in soggy, bland greens. First, swap out your acid. Classic salad vinegars have 7 to 10 percent acidity, but we prefer low-acid vinegars, such as rice, cider and white balsamic, which have 4 to 6 percent acidity. Less acidity means you need less oil to balance it, for better texture and flavor in the finished salad. We like a 1:1½ or 1:2 vinegar-to-oil ratio; for a 5-ounce container of leafy greens, use 2½ to 3 teaspoons vinegar and 4 to 5 teaspoons oil. Finally, skip the whisking. Instead, drizzle the vinegar directly onto the greens, then pour the oil around the edge of the bowl. With both hands, toss the greens for one minute, pulling the oil into the salad as you toss. From here, you can add more vinegar or oil to taste. To finish, season with flaky salt for pops of salinity.
Conventional wisdom says the best way to trim the tough woody bottoms from asparagus is to simply bend the stalks until they snap at a natural breaking point. But we’ve found that method wasteful; the natural snapping point too often takes off perfectly usable asparagus. We found a simple poke test with a paring knife a far better guide for where to trim. Starting at the bottom of the stalk, gently poke the tip of the knife in, working your way up. Wherever the paring knife first slides in and out with no resistance is the spot to trim. And we found that testing one stalk out of every bunch was plenty; use it as a guide to trim the rest, as the variation between stalks was minimal.
Curtido is a light and tangy Salvadoran slaw that pairs perfectly with grilled meats, fried foods and tacos. To make, in a large bowl, toss 1 pound green cabbage (cored and thinly sliced) with 1 teaspoon kosher salt; let stand for 20 minutes, tossing once or twice. Meanwhile, in another large bowl, whisk together ¼ cup white vinegar, 2 teaspoons white sugar, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Stir in 1 small red onion (halved and thinly sliced). Squeeze the cabbage to remove as much moisture as possible, then add it to the vinegar mixture, followed by 2 medium carrots (peeled and grated) and ¼ cup sliced pickled jalapeños. Toss well. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to one week before serving. Serve chilled.
Claiming it produces more luxurious and flavorful baked goods, many bakers favor premium high-fat butter, which has a fat content of 82 to 85 percent (compared to conventional butter’s 80 percent). But is it worth the premium price? We pitted two high-fat butters (Plugrà and Kerrygold) against two conventional butters (Land O’Lakes and Kirkland), using them in biscuits, butter cake and pie crusts, where butter is key to flavor and texture. In every case, we weren’t convinced. The differences were so slight as to be almost undetectable. We suggest skipping high-fat butters when baking; save them for your toast.
The perfect simple glaze for roasted chicken turned out to be not so simple. We wanted a glaze that could be whisked together easily, would cling to the bird and produce a perfectly lacquered finish. But dozens of tests taught us that balancing the amount and type of sweetener was key to getting great color and flavor without scorching. Our winner: Whisk together 3 tablespoons neutral oil, 2½ tablespoons hoisin, 2 teaspoons packed brown sugar, ¾ teaspoon Chinese five-spice and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. To use, heat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the middle position. Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet. Tuck the wing tips of a 4-pound whole chicken (patted dry, fat near the cavity removed and discarded) to the back, then brush the hoisin mixture on all sides and in the cavity. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine and place the bird breast side up on the rack. Roast until the thickest part of the thighs reaches 175°F, about 1¼ hours. Let rest for 20 minutes, then carve.
