Avocado Salad with Tomato and Radish; Asparagus Salad with Oranges, Feta, and Hazelnuts; Strawberry Cream Paletas

Our book team shares what recipes they’re testing and their favorite books. [Log In]( [America's Test Kitchen]( [FIND RECIPES]( [START FREE WEB TRIAL]( Notes from the Test Kitchen [Book Team Spotlight]( August 4, 2017 Book Team Spotlight Each cookbook we publish is developed in-house. Yes, every single recipe, review, and tip you see in our cookbooks comes from our brilliant team of test cooks and editors. This week, we feature three members of our books team as they share their favorite experiences, what they’re working on now, and [their favorite cookbooks from our library.]( [Sacha Madadian, Associate Editor]( Can you explain the recipe development process for our readers? Sacha Madadian, Associate Editor: Once we brainstorm the table of contents for a project, the test cooks get to work on making that list of recipes come to life. Sometimes the dish at hand is concrete—like a recipe we're currently working on for piadina , a thin Italian flatbread that's griddled and then folded around cured meats and cheese—and we start by researching and making existing versions to determine what our ideal is. Other times the “recipe” is a set of ideas, and we need to test our way to a direction. What started as "layer cake using blackberries and mascarpone" for an upcoming cake book became a four-layer stunner of lemon chiffon cake filled with a mascarpone whipped cream frosting that we fold a vibrant homemade blackberry jam into. After streamlining techniques for the home cook where we can, boosting flavor along the way, testing and retesting to make sure the recipe is foolproof, handing the recipe to an intern to execute, and sometimes sending the recipe to survey participants to try at home (phew!), my job turns from taster to editor, and the recipe finds its way into the book. What is your favorite America's Test Kitchen/Cook's Illustrated/Cook's Country cookbook? SM: Just one? [I had a great time]( working on [Bread Illustrated]( because of the challenge of breaking down a topic as heady as bread baking. I find myself turning again and again to [The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook]( because it reflects the way I cook. I love all the seafood recipes, as well as the pantry staples like homemade Tahini Sauce, Harissa, and Dukkah—a drizzle, spread, or sprinkle improves just about any vegetable or meat. And there are so many fresh, vibrant gems in [The Complete Vegetarian Cookbook](. The [Avocado Salad with Tomato and Radish]( is the absolute best thing you can do with avocado (yes, better than guac!). Sacha’s Recommendation [Avocado Salad with Tomato and Radish]( recipe Avocado Salad with Tomato and Radish [View Recipe]( [Joseph Gitter, Test Cook]( Which recipes are you testing right now? Joseph Gitter, Test Cook: I’m currently working on Dinner, Illustrated. I love the concept—it’s about getting dinner on the table in less than an hour (prep included), and it’s helping me learn to be a more efficient and creative cook. It’s definitely presenting its own exciting challenges—we’re really trying to strip our recipes down to their bare essentials while still bringing our rigor to the process and keeping the end results utterly delicious. Right now I’m testing a Fennel and Bibb Salad with Scallops and Hazelnuts. I’m trying to work with just a few ingredients that will give maximum flavor. I’m currently playing with the best herb to highlight the star ingredients (I suspect it might be tarragon). Then it’s about conveying the key techniques in an optimal way (searing scallops so they have a great crust and are just cooked through, making a bright vinaigrette, and determining when to dress the salad). And I’m just finishing off a grilled lamb shoulder chop. Lamb just adapts so well to an open fire, and I love the economy and flavor of this cut. The only problem is that it can be a little chewy. To mitigate this I’m working on optimal salting and marinating times and figuring out to what degree of doneness I’d like to cook it. I normally like my lamb rosy pink, but in this case we had to take it further to render more of the intramuscular fat, and the results were great. What is your favorite America's Test Kitchen/Cook's Illustrated/Cook's Country cookbook? JG: It’s currently a tie between [The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook]( and [Bread Illustrated](. I go to the former when I want to create something bright, exciting, and delicious for friends and family. It’s also perfect for summer, when fresh seasonal produce takes these dishes to the next level. I love to make our zesty and refreshing [Asparagus Salad with Oranges, Feta, and Hazelnuts](. We use raw asparagus all too rarely—when you can get it in season, it's amazing. Joseph’s Recommendation [Asparagus Salad with Oranges, Feta, and Hazelnuts]( recipe Asparagus Salad with Oranges, Feta, and Hazelnuts [View Recipe]( [Kate Shannon: Associate Editor]( Which recipes are you testing right now? Stephanie Pixley, Senior Editor: I'm working on a recipe for Crispy Chicken with Moroccan Carrot Salad, which will be part of our upcoming cookbook Dinner, Illustrated. This book is all about getting satisfying, delicious, complete dinners on the table in under an hour, so it will be perfect for any busy home cook. I love the method we use to cook the chicken in this recipe—it guarantees crispy skin and perfectly moist and juicy chicken every time. The key is starting the chicken in a cold pan, which gives the skin time to render, before the pan goes in the oven to cook the meat gently and avoid overcooking. And the salad comes together while the chicken is in the oven. This is a perfect meal for any day of the week! What is your favorite America's Test Kitchen/Cook's Illustrated/Cook's Country cookbook? SP: I have a serious sweet tooth, and while [I love to bake]( there are a few weeks every summer where even I can't stand the heat in my apartment kitchen. Luckily, a few years ago I worked on a book called [Naturally Sweet]( and I discovered a new favorite recipe: [Strawberry Cream Paletas](. These Mexican-style popsicles are creamy and refreshing even on the hottest day of the year, and since the recipe uses 1 pound of fresh strawberries to only ¼ cup of honey, the bright, fresh flavor of the strawberries really shines through! Stephanie’s Recommendation [Strawberry Cream Paletas]( recipe Strawberry Cream Paletas [View Recipe]( [Buy our Book Team's Favorite Cookbooks and save 15% when you order from our bookstore.]( [Save 15% Today!]( Offer valid through 8/6 Recommended Equipment for These Recipes [OXO Good 11-inch Balloon Whisk]( Speed/Efficiency: ★★★   Comfort/Ease of Use: ★★★   Use a good all-purpose whisk to create an emulsified dressing for your avocado salad. With an ergonomic Santoprene rubber handle and a balanced, lightweight feel, this whisk from OXO is like an extension of your hand. [Learn More →]( [BUY NOW]( [Bob Kramer 8-inch Carbon Steel Chef’s Knife by Zwilling J.A. Henckels]( Comfort: ★★★   Cutting: ★★★   Edge Retention: ★★★   Chop raw asparagus precisely using this top-rated carbon-steel chef’s knife from Bob Kramer. With this knife’s precise tip and extremely sharp, ultrathin blade, mincing parsley was a breeze for us, and whole chickens seemed to butcher themselves in our tests. More impressively, the knife maintains its edge, and its comfortable handle is a gorgeous piece of craftsmanship. [Learn More →]( [BUY NOW]( [Zoku Classic Pop Molds]( Eating: ★★★   Preparation: ★★½   Removal and Cleaning: ★★★   Make picture-perfect Strawberry Cream Paletas using these ice pop molds from Zoku. The detachable molds have clear fill lines and wide openings, making them a breeze to fill and clean. They also feature slender plastic sticks with unobtrusive drip guards and long, textured handles, making the resulting pops easy to grip and eat. [Learn More →]( [BUY NOW]( News and Events [America’s Test Kitchen on The Splendid Table]( Tune in to your local public radio station or listen at [splendidtable.org](. Bob's Red Mill is the premiere sponsor of The Splendid Table episodes featuring America's Test Kitchen. 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