Pan-seared salmon often has two flaws. While the fish has a nice rosy interior at its thickest point, it is a bit overcooked and dry at the thinner end. (Pieces cut from the center of the fillet are our preference for their more uniform thickness, but even these taper on one end.) Secondly, the exteriors of the fillets are more tough than crisp. We wanted to take advantage of the intense heat of the skillet to produce a golden-brown, ultracrisp crust on salmon fillets while keeping their interiors moist. To achieve this, our pan-seared salmon is first brined to season it and to keep it moist as it cooks. It is then placed in a cold, dry nonstick skillet skin side down over medium-high heat. The skin protects the fish from drying out while cooking and is easily peeled off and discarded once the fish is cooked. The skin also releases fat into the pan, which is then used to sear the second side until it is golden brown and crisp.

The axiom “knowledge is power” holds especially true in the kitchen—the more you know about what’s going on inside your food as it cooks, the more you can control the result. That’s why we’re so gung ho about using an instant-read thermometer. Our favorite thermometer, the Thermapen Mk4, has a smart, responsive design and extra nifty features: its display auto-rotates, lights up in low light, and wakes up when the unit is picked up. While supplies last. Offer ends at 11:59 pm PT on May 22, 2017.

Our German Pancake achieves its dramatic appearance and contrasting textures thanks to a few test kitchen tricks. First, we mixed up a simple batter containing just the right amounts of eggs, flour, and milk to produce a pancake with crispy yet tender edges and a custardy center. To produce a tall, puffy rim and an even, substantial center, we started the pancake in a cold oven and then turned the oven to 375 degrees. This allowed the center of the pancake to begin to set up before the rim got hot enough to puff up substantially. Finally, we put fruit and other ingredients on as a topping rather than baking them into the pancake. Without fruit to weigh things down, the pancake puffed dramatically and its texture remained delicate and uniform.

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