Oven-Roasted Salmon

December 2025

Recipe from The America's Test Kitchen Quick Family Cookbook, America's Test Kitchen, 2012, p. 214; a version is also available online.

While flipping through this cookbook for a mini-meatloaf recipe I happened to stumble over some salmon recipes. Several of the recipes from this book have become staples for us as they are good to eat and relatively easy to prepare. There are several salmon recipes that we have been enjoying but trying something new might lead to a new household staple.

A rimmed baking sheet was placed on the lowest rack of the oven and the oven was heated to 500°. The skin on two salmon fillets was scored to prevent curling and to allow rendered fat to drain. The salmon was rubbed with olive oil then with a dry rub of coriander, sugar, salt, pepper, and cayenne. When the oven had reached 500° the temperature was reduced to 275° and the baking sheet was removed. The salmon fillets were placed on the hot baking sheet skin side down and placed in the oven. The salmon was roasted to an internal temperature of 125° (medium rare), about 11 minutes. Total time was 45 minutes and much of this (about 30 minutes) was heating the oven to 500°.

The salmon was good, nicely cooked with a crispy skin. However we didn't think that the dry rub added anything to the salmon. It fish have been improved with a sauce or glaze which, if used, would seem to make the dry rub redundant. Indeed, the online recipe uses just salt and pepper. Scoring the tough salmon skin without going too deep into the flesh was a challenge. I don't know that this method of cooking salmon is easier or quicker than other methods which are also quick and easy. 

Dutch Apple Pie (Appeltaart)

November 2025

Recipe from Cook's Illustrated, September 2024

This was one of two new apple recipes that I wanted to try, but it was actually the other one (Gâteau Invisible) that I had in mind. But when I looked at my ingredients after a trip to the supermarket I found I had purchased items for the Dutch Apple Pie. Fortunately I had planned on trying this one, too, so all is good. This treat is often served at celebrations, such as birthdays, in The Netherlands.

The only modification I made to the recipe was to omit the small amount of nutmeg as Diane doesn't like it. Golden Delicious apples were peeled, cored, and cut into 16 wedges (we have a tool that makes this easy). They were combined with sugar and cooked until slightly softened. The apples and juices were transferred to a baking sheet to cool. (Unintuitively, this step prevents the apples from losing their shape when baked.)

The crust was prepared while the apples cooled. Flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt were combined in a bowl. A lightly-beaten egg, melted butter, and water were stirred into the flour mixture. The dough was divided into three equal portions. One was rolled out and refrigerated. One was pressed into the bottom of a 9" springform pan. The other was pressed into the sides of the pan and the pan was also refrigerated for about 25 minutes.

The cooled apples were transferred to the bowl and mixed with golden raisins, cornstarch, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, coriander, and salt. They were then pressed into the chilled, dough-lined pan. The sheet of chilled dough was cut into 1¼-inch stirips that were placed on top of the apples. The pie was baked at 375° for 70 minutes until the apples were tender. For the last 30 minutes the crust was covered with aluminum foil. Total time, except for cooling, was about 3 hours with a significant amount hands off.

The pie was good. As usual for apple pies Diane thought it did not have enough cinnamon though I appreciate the more conservative amount and, in this case, the other spices. The slices of pie are larger than usual because of the height of the pie; we usually have it over the course of 4 nights eating ⅛-th at a timed some times it was too much. Some of the apples turned to apple sauce while cooking. I suspect these were riper than the others, there was a mix of yellow and green-ish apples which should be avoided in the future. The crust is easier to make than the usual butter-and-flour flaky crust when fresh it was nice and crispy, which I enjoyed, though not so crispy on subsequent eating.

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Grapes and Fennel

October 2025

Recipe from Cook's Country, October 2021, available online.

I maintain a list of recipes that I might like to try. It's a pretty long list. This chicken recipe was on the list and it had many appealing features: dark chicken meat, interesting accompaniment, and relatively easy to prepare. I don't remember where I learned about this recipe but I gave it a go. The recipe is for eight bone-in chicken thighs, but I halved it and prepared four thighs (2.2 pounds) which should make two dinners for the two of us. 

Melted butter, dried thyme, and minced garlic were combined in a small bowl. A fennel bulb was cored, sliced thin crosswise, and tossed with some of the butter mixture, salt, and pepper then spread on a quarter sheet pan. Red seedless grapes were tossed with more of the butter mixture and also spread on the sheet pan. These were roasted until the fennel began to soften. While the fennel and grapes cooked the chicken was seasoned with salt and pepper and browned, skin side down, in a skillet. Space was made on the sheet pan for the chicken which was placed skin side ups and brushed with the remaining butter mixture. The chicken was roasted in a 450° oven to a temperature of 175°. The chicken, grapes, and fennel were sprinkled with chopped fennel fronds and served. Prep time for this recipe was 20 minutes, total time 70 minutes.

We enjoyed our two dinners with this recipe. The chicken was very good and easy to prepare. The grapes added a nice sweetness. The fennel wasn't very flavorful itself, perhaps it was overcooked. There are many additional Test Kitchen recipes for roasted chicken thighs, I should try some others in addition to making this one again.

Coconut Cream Pie

 September 2025

Recipe from The Perfect Pie, Americas Test Kitchen, 2019, p. 49 and 334, also available online. 

I recently made a vanilla cream pie and published a blog post about it. The pie was good but I criticized the time needed to make it and the expense of several ingredients. A reader commented on social media that they enjoy coconut cream pie. I had never made a coconut cream pie so I thought I would give it a go. It didn't hurt that it was the next recipe in the pie cookbook after the vanilla cream pie.

For the crust, Nilla Wafer cookies, sweetened flaked coconut, sugar, flour, and salt were ground in the food processor. Melted butter was added and the mixture pulsed to combine the ingredients. The mixture was pressed in a pie plate and baked at 325° until set. Making the "dough" took just 15 minutes, total time was 30 minutes exclusive of cooling.

For the filling, milk, sugar, egg yolks, cornstarch, and salt were whisked together. Milk was brought to a simmer and a portion of the hot milk was whisked into the yolk mixture to temper it. The tempered mixture was slowly whisked into the remaining hot milk then cooked until it thickened and bubbled and registered 180°. The filling was strained and sweetened flaked coconut and vanilla extract were stirred in. The filling was poured into the cooled crust and refrigerated until set. Preparing the filling took 50 minutes.

Sweetened flaked coconut was carefully toasted in the microwave to create a garnish. Toasting it for 30 seconds was too long and it burned so, for the second try, it was toasted in 10 second increments. The pie was served with whipped cream and the toasted coconut.

Curiously, we thought the pie was just okay the first time we had it, but after several more days (a pie lasts us four days) it grew on us and we liked it more and more. It was easier and faster to make than the vanilla cream pie and without wasting any ingredients. I might make it again, time will tell. The recipe called for sweetened shredded coconut but all I could find in the supermarket was sweetened flaked coconut. I don't think this had a large effect on the pie.