♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ -Welcome to "America's Test Kitchen" at home.

Today, we're showcasing the best of the farmer's market.

First up, I'm going to make a silky and sweet corn risotto.

Jack gives his tips for buying and storing summer produce.

Elle's making a refreshing green bean salad, and Dan is grilling the summer's best tomatoes.

We've packed a lot into the show today, so stick around.

♪♪ ♪♪ -I love seasonal risottos, you know what I'm talking about?

Well, it's summer and we want the height of summer, which is corn included in our risotto.

Now, that's actually harder than it seems because corn has really delicate flavor compounds.

So we're going to do a few things to pack as much corn flavor into our risotto as I possibly can.

First up, I got some shucking to do.

Now, the first thing I want to do is remove the corn kernels.

So what I'm going to do is I'm going to take my knife.

And instead of standing it up, which you can do -- you can actually do it this way, but sometimes the corn kernels will just go flying around the kitchen -- I'm going to cut this while it's on its side.

I've created now a flat surface.

So it's a little bit, I think, safer.

Now, I only need 4 cups in total, so depending on the size of the ears of corn, you may only need four, but you may need up to six.

What's most important is the 4 cups of kernels.

Alright, that looks great, 4 cups.

I'm gonna put this aside and come back to these cobs here.

Now, there's a lot of flavor inside of these corncobs.

I'm going to use a butter knife, just stand this up straight and start to run it down all the sides here and try to scrape up as much of that pulp as I possibly can.

So just getting the kernels off and extracting this corn juice or corn milk, really, is gonna give us a lot of flavor.

Now, I want to puree this mixture even more.

So I'm going to add it to my blender here, and I want to add 3 cups of corn kernels.

Now, I have 4 in here, so I'm gonna get a nice big cup here, set that aside, and the remaining 3 cups can go right in.

I'm going to blend this on low just for about 30 seconds so that mixture can start to come together.

So you can see it's a really thick puree.

And this time, I'm going to puree this on high, but as I do so, I'm going to add 1/2 a cup of hot water.

Once it starts running, though, after I've added the water, I'm going to let it go for 3 minutes until it's completely pureed.

3 minutes.

We have a really nice puree here.

So I do want to strain this to get out any of the pulp that's in there as well as any silks so we can extract all of that beautiful corn liquid.

What I'm looking for is 2 cups, and I'll discard the solids.

♪♪ It's time for risotto, and I've already gotten started.

I have 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter.

I'm melting it over medium heat.

Now I'm going to add a finely chopped shallot and 1 minced garlic clove, 2 teaspoons of table salt, and about 1/2 a teaspoon of black pepper.

Alright.

Let me give this a little bit of a stir.

And I just want the shallots to soften just a little bit.

That won't take a lot of time, probably just about a minute.

So, in the meantime, I'm going to measure some rice, and I am using the standard.

This is Arborio rice.

It really is made for risotto.

It takes a while for the grains to fully absorb, so they're not going to be all blown out and soggy by the time your risotto is finished.

And I need a cup and a 1/2.

The shallots look nicely softened.

Add that cup, and I need to measure another 1/2 cup.

And I also want to add a little bit of herbal flavor, so I'm going to choose a few sprigs of thyme.

So I'm coating the rice with the butter.

We're going to cook this until the rice kernels start to look a little translucent around the edges.

That's going to take about 3 minutes.

Alright.

It just took a few minutes, and the rice is just starting to get a little translucent around the edges.

So now we're going to add our liquid, and I'm not using chicken broth that we would usually use for many risottos.

We're using water because we want that corn flavor to really shine.

So I've got some hot water that's going to help the process along here.

And I'm going to measure 4½ cups of hot water.

I'm going to add this right in here.

There we go.

Give it a quick stir.

I'm going to put the lid on it, and I'm going to turn the heat down to medium-low.

Now, this was a lot of liquid to add all at once to our risotto, but we do this with most of our risottos and it mimics that traditional method where you add a little bit of liquid at a time and you have to stir it constantly.

It's that motion that releases the starch.

By adding all of that liquid, putting a lid on the pot, and letting it simmer right under the lid, those grains of rice are going to hit each other and kind of mimic that same stirring.

So I'm only going to have to go in there and stir it maybe twice.

And I'm going to let this cook for about 16, 19 minutes until the grains of rice are nice and al dente.

♪♪ So the risotto is almost done cooking.

Now, I've been grading a little bit of Parmigiano-Reggiano because we're going to add that a little later on.

And I need 1/2 a cup.

That's about an ounce.

Alright.

So now let's take a peek inside of the pot.

Oh, yeah.

You can see that the rice has really started to absorb that liquid.

It's looking good.

I do want to check the consistency, though.

At this point, the rice should be al dente -- means "to the tooth," so it should be toothsome.

Okay, that's great, so we can go ahead and add our corn liquid.

Just going to pour this in there, and this is key -- adding this near the end of cooking.

This is what's going to retain that corn freshness and all that good flavor.

At this point, I'm going to continue cooking this.

Now I am going to stir this and start to release more of that starch from the rice.

I'm going to continue to stir this for another 3 minutes.

This is looking pretty good at this point, so it's safe to add those corn kernels.

Now, this is that remaining 1 cup of corn kernels that I cut earlier, and now I'm going to also add that 1/2 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano.

I'm going to give that a good stir here.

Now I'm turning the heat off.

I don't want this to continue to thicken too much, but I'm going to put a lid on it and allow those corn kernels just to soften a little bit.

That's going to take about 5 minutes.

♪♪ It's been nearly 5 minutes the risotto has been sitting.

I have a few last-minute additions.

First up, some chopped chives.

Now, I need about 2 tablespoons of chopped chives.

So it's just really finally chopped.

I might chop a little extra just to add to my bowl at the end.

That looks like two tablespoons.

And a little bit of lemon juice, and that's really to wake up the risotto, add a little punch of acidity.

Just brightens it.

So I'll just squeeze a little bit in there.

I just need 1/2 a teaspoon.

Finally, a little bit of crème fraîche.

Now, you can make your own at home or nowadays you can find it at more and more supermarkets.

It's got a really light, tangy flavor.

It's not quite as tangy as sour cream.

It's definitely worth seeking out.

But if you can't find it, we've got a great homemade recipe on our website.

That's what this is, so go check it out.

I need 1/2 a cup of this.

Alright.

Let's take a look at our risotto here.

[ Sighs ] Smells divine.

Oh, and it's just starting to really thicken up a little bit.

I'm going to go fishing in there for some of those thyme sprigs.

Wish me luck.

Huzzah.

Success.

Now, I'm going to add in the chives, that little bit of lemon juice, that 1/2 a teaspoon, and, of course, the crème fraîche.

Look at that.

Unh.

Now, at this point, you want to check the consistency.

I find too often risottos are over-thickened, and you really don't want to porridge on your plate.

Risotto, according to the Italians, it should be cooked "a londra," And that means "to the wave" or "like a wave," so it should just ripple a little bit.

So you can add a bit more hot water -- up to about 1/2 a cup.

I'm just going to put a little splash in there, and it definitely continues to set up as you stir it.

And that is it.

We are done cooking.

It's eating time.

Alright.

Doesn't that look amazing?

The texture is unbeatable.

I am going to just sprinkle it with a little bit more chive, though.

That's just a preference of mine.

Alright.

It is by far the silkiest textured risotto I've ever had in my entire life.

Super corny -- in a good way -- creamy, and just lightly sweet.

That's a big bowl of heaven right there.

So if you want to make this beautiful corn risotto at home, just remember these keys -- use both the corn kernels and the pulp, add the corn liquid near the end of cooking, and stir in crème fraîche for a little brightness.

So from "America's Test Kitchen" at home, summer sweet and silky corn risotto.

♪♪ -When my kids were little, they set up an instant messenger account for their father and they gave me the handle "NumberOneVeg."

I think that tells you everything you need to know about my love for vegetables.

So here's what I do when I'm shopping in the produce aisle at the supermarket or the farmer's market.

I want you to do the same thing.

Let's start with corn.

I have a favor.

Please, don't be that person that pulls back the husk and then throws it back in the pile.

I've got a secret for you.

If you want to make sure that they're plump kernels all the way to the end, you don't need to pull back the husk.

Just use your hands.

You can feel.

This one, the kernels taper off, and they aren't plump at the end.

As opposed to this one, I can feel that there are kernels all the way to the end and they're nice and plump.

I don't need to damage the corn in order to pick the right one.

Now, when you get home, actually save that brown paper bag and moisten it up, run it under the faucet, and then put that in the fridge.

It actually helps the corn retain moisture.

You can do the same thing in paper towels if you don't have a brown paper bag.

Alright, tomatoes.

If there's anything you're gonna buy local, buy tomatoes local.

They just don't ship well.

So when I'm shopping, I do two things.

First thing is I pick them up, give them a good sniff.

Should smell like good earth.

Next, press them.

You actually want some give here.

If it's rock hard, it's really not that ripe and it may not ripen all that quickly.

Obviously, you don't want your thumb, though, to go into it because then it's way too ripe.

When you get home, if it's really ripe, put it in the fridge.

All that stuff out there on the Internet says you can't put a tomato in the fridge, it's actually wrong.

It's fine.

It won't ripen in the fridge, so if it's not ready to eat, don't put it in the fridge.

Cucumbers -- these are English style.

They're always sold wrapped in plastic.

So think about those American-style cucumbers from the supermarket, they're coated in wax -- does the same thing.

Now, if you're buying from a farmer's market or you're growing your own cucumbers, they're not coated in wax, so actually wrapping the cucumbers in Saran Wrap is a great way to preserve them.

You can use this zucchini, summer squash, as well.

Carrots -- it's a good idea to buy them with the greens attached.

It's a good sign that they were picked recently.

Those bagged carrots were probably picked last month, maybe two months ago.

These were picked probably in the last couple of days.

But once you get home, you want to get rid of these greens, twist them off, cut them off, because the roots -- and that's what carrots are -- are feeding the greens, and you don't want the moisture and flavor to leave the roots and go to the greens, so cut them off, put the carrots in a zipper-lock bag.

You don't need to close the bag, but then put it into the crisper drawer.

Last up, lettuce.

Now, the biggest problem with lettuce, especially if you're buying it in the supermarket, is it's really wet.

Those misters aren't doing you any favors.

So when you get home, first thing you want to do is remove any rubber bands or twist ties, because rot's going to occur underneath those bands.

Roll it in paper towels, because this is going to blot up more of that moisture.

Wait to wash it until you want to make salad.

What I'm really trying to do is dry it, so I want to do the opposite of washing.

Put it in the paper towels and then slip it into a zipper-lock bag.

I'm not going to close the bag because you want this to sort of dry out a little bit.

It can go right into the crisper drawer like this.

So there you have it from "NumberOneVeg," all my best tips for buying and storing summer produce.

Enjoy.

♪♪ -One of the things I love about green beans is their versatility.

I love them steamed, charred, hot, or cold.

Today, I'm going to make an amazing green bean salad.

I start with 1½ pounds of green beans.

I'm going to trim these beans and cut them into 1- to 2-inch pieces.

Alright, this is the last bunch of our beans.

Now we're just going to head over to the stove.

Okay, I have 2 quarts of water boiling here, all set to blanch our beans.

To this, I'm going to add 1/4 cup of salt.

That's a lot of salt, but it's going to make a difference.

I'm just going to let that come back to a boil, and then I'm going to add the beans.

So this is going to take 5 to 8 minutes.

We want the green beans in our salad to be tender, but not turn army green.

Let's take a look at how the salt can give us the best of both worlds.

Green beans, like most plants, are composed of cells that are held together by pectin.

That pectin is held in place with the help of calcium ions.

To cook green beans until they are tender, you have to heat them until the pectin that cements their cells together starts to dissolve.

It can take more than 10 minutes to get them as tender as we want, but that prolonged heat also alters the bright chlorophyll in the beans, turning it drab green.

But there's a simple and tasty way to get our beans to cook up tender and green -- salt and plenty of it.

When we cook green beans in water that's as salty as seawater -- a whole 1/4 cup of salt in 2 quarts of water -- they soften faster.

The sodium from the salt replaces some of the calcium ions that are holding the beans pectin cement together.

This allows the cement to dissolve more quickly, and that means we don't have to cook the beans as long and they keep their bright green color.

Cooking green beans in heavily salted water has another benefit.

It comes out wonderfully pre-seasoned, making our green bean salad taste just as good as it looks.

So we've boiled these green beans for 7 minutes, I drained them in a colander, and now I'm going to put them in an ice bath to stop the cooking process.

What happens in an ice bath is called shocking.

This is how we keep the bright green color to the green beans.

Now I'm going to use a salad spinner to spin these beans dry, because if we don't, we'll have a watery salad dressing.

And you don't want that.

Alright, the green beans are dry.

Now we can finish with the rest of our ingredients.

I'm going to start with 12 ounces of cherry tomatoes, halved.

I'm just going to add them to the bowl with the green beans.

Now we're going to do some herbs.

First up is mint.

I like to take the leaves and just stack them together, roll them over, give it a chop.

Alright.

We're looking for about 2 tablespoons.

This looks great.

I'm going to add 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley as well, a tablespoon of lemon juice just to brighten things up a little bit, a 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil, I'm going to add 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.

I'm going to eyeball it a little bit.

Now, I'm going to give the salad a good toss to make sure everything's covered in oil and seasonings.

These beans look bright and delicious.

Alright.

I'm just going to clean up, and then we're ready to serve.

I think this beautiful salad deserves a beautiful presentation.

I'm just going to put it on a platter, pile it nice and high so everyone can see all the work you've done with these beans.

This is gorgeous.

I'm going to be queen of backyard parties this year.

I'm so excited.

I'm just going to finish this off with a 1/2 cup of crumbled feta.

There we go.

I love this flavor profile, but go to our website for other variations.

I'm so excited to try it.

This looks amazing.

I'm just going to help myself.

Wow, that's perfect.

Mmm.

Those beans are already tender, I can tell.

There's nothing like a flavorful, tender green bean salad.

This is a star.

This is a salad that tastes as good as it looks.

If you want to make this flavorful salad at home, remember to use a lot of salt in the water and use a salad spinner to dry the beans.

From "America's Test Kitchen" at home, beautiful green bean salad with cherry tomatoes and feta.

♪♪ -In the summertime, I do most of my tomato eating right over the sink.

I love griddled white bread, mayonnaise, big slab of tomato.

It's a really juicy affair, and I eat those throughout the summer.

But at some point, I realized tomatoes are incredibly versatile and I'm not giving them their due.

So today we're going to actually grill tomatoes.

It's an amazing way to prepare them.

They get juicier and meatier.

We're going to finish them super simply.

We're going to start with these tomatoes right here.

Now, you want to use in-season ripe tomatoes that are firm but ripe.

These are beautiful.

They're a little bit firm.

What I'm going to do first is just core them.

Take a paring knife like this, and I like to choke up on it so that you're really basically gauging how much of the knife will actually go into the tomato.

We don't want to go down too far.

We just want to get that core out.

So then I go in and just kind of work my way around it.

So now we're going to cut them in half and it really matters which direction you go in.

If you were to cut the tomato pole-to-pole this way, you leave these pockets that are completely insulated inside.

What you want to do is actually cut the tomato through its equator, this way.

If you take a look inside the tomato here, what I've done is basically open up all of those pockets within the tomato, and that's going to allow a place for all the steam to escape as those juices heat up.

That's really important.

If you don't do it, you go the other direction, the steam builds up inside those and they explode and you lose all the tomato to the grill.

So we're going to cut them in half through the equator, just like that, and then transfer them over here to this bowl.

So there's only one more step before we get them on the grill, and that is to salt the tomatoes.

So salt obviously is going to provide some seasoning to them, but it's also going to help draw some moisture out.

Along with the salt, I'm also going to add a little bit of extra virgin olive oil, so I have a tablespoon of that.

I've got a 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a 1/4 of a teaspoon of ground black pepper.

Now, these tomatoes need to sit for at least 15 minutes, let that salt do its job.

They can go up to an hour.

So while these are salting, I'm going get my grill going.

♪♪ So my grill has been heating on high for about 15 minutes.

We've got a ton of moisture in these tomatoes, and we need high heat to drive that off and get really great browning.

You can see that the salt has done its job.

We've got lots of nice juices at the bottom of the bowl, which we're going to reserve.

First thing's first, I'm going to clean and oil the grill.

Oiling like this is going to produce a nice nonstick coating.

It's going to allow us to get the tomatoes off with all of that browning intact.

That looks good.

Time to put the tomatoes on the grill.

And one of the keys here is to do them cut-side down first.

And the reason that we're doing that is these tomatoes are obviously loaded with lots of juices.

Ooh, that sounds good.

And as the tomatoes warm up, it's going to be easier for those juices to flow, so if we were to start with the tomatoes on the other side, get them nice and hot, and then flip them, all those juices come crashing down on the coals and you get a lot of soot.

It's not very pretty.

So we're going to go cut-side down first while they're a little bit more intact.

So I'm going to shut this and let those go for about 4 to 6 minutes until they turn nice and soft, and I'm saving this.

This is the juice that came out of the tomatoes.

We're going to use it at the end to dress the tomatoes.

Okay, so it's been about 5 minutes on this first side, so we'll take a look.

We can see they're starting to break down a little bit on the top, but I can see lots of good char and browning around the sides.

And I like to use a thin spatula here so you can get underneath and get all of that char onto the tomato and not leave it on the grill.

And I'm going to scrape against the bottom there to pick up whatever color they do have, make sure it sticks with them.

Nice.

So we got some really nice caramelization on some of these and the skin side will also pick up lots of color.

Beautiful.

Alright, so put the lid back down, and we're going to let these go for another 4 to 6 minutes until they're super tender and that bottom side has picked up lots of color, and then we'll get them off the grill.

Alright, so it's been about 6 minutes.

I'm going to take them off.

Oh, those look incredible.

Alright, now it's time to dress these up, and I've got this amazing liquid that was left over from when the tomatoes were salting.

So I'm going to take a big spoon here and just drizzle that over the top.

Couple of tablespoons of torn basil.

So I like to just tear it right before I pop it on there, pick up all that amazing aroma as you tear it.

We'll do about a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over the top.

I like to use a little squeeze bottle to keep that.

Makes it nice and easy.

Oh, man, this looks so good.

And then finally, we use some coarse flaked sea salt here.

Alright.

Time to dig in.

I like this guy here, and this one's beautiful, too.

There we go.

Oh, man, these look so good.

Get a little basil on top there.

Mmm.

Oh, that is so good.

That char is awesome.

They're super well-seasoned.

I love the basil and that little bit of crunch of salt on top.

So the keys to this recipe are to halve the tomatoes through their equator and then start them cut-side down on the grill.

From "America's Test Kitchen" at home, a great recipe for grilled tomatoes, which I'm gonna eat some more of right now.