America's Test Kitchen Season 21 Episode 23 Summer Dinner for Two

In the season 21, episode 23 of America's Test Kitchen titled "Summer Dinner for Two", host Julia Collin Davison takes viewers on a culinary journey perfect for a romantic summer evening. With the help of co-host Bridget Lancaster and their team of expert cooks, Davison showcases several delicious recipes that are ideal for a warm evening outdoors.

The episode begins with a refreshing chilled cucumber soup that is easy to prepare and ideal for a hot summer day. The recipe calls for cucumbers, sour cream, lemon juice, and dill, among other ingredients, and is served alongside tangy pickled shrimp. Lancaster illustrates how to prepare a simple marinade that will give the shrimp a slightly sweet and sour flavor that pairs well with the soup.

Next up, Lancaster takes over to demonstrate how to create a delectable pan-seared pork chop dish topped off with a berry-mustard sauce. She starts by sprinkling salt and pepper on the pork chops and searing them in a hot pan before moving them to the oven to cook. Lancaster then combines fresh berries, sherry vinegar, and Dijon mustard to create a sauce that serves as the perfect accompaniment to the dish.

The episode then moves outdoors with an easy-to-make grilled flank steak entrée. Davison demonstrates how to create a marinade using soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger before grilling the steak to perfection. She then introduces a mouthwatering side dish of Korean-style grilled vegetables, which can be cooked on the same grill with the steak. This dish includes various veggies such as sweet potato, zucchini, and scallions with a combination of flavors from chili paste, rice vinegar, and soy sauce.

Finally, the episode ends with a sweet dessert that showcases summer fruit. Lancaster teaches viewers how to prepare a grilled stone fruit and pound cake dish, combining the juicy sweetness of ripe peaches and apricots with a buttery pound cake. She serves the dish topped with homemade whipped cream and a sprinkle of sea salt.

Throughout the episode, Davison and Lancaster provide useful cooking tips that are helpful for both beginner and advanced cooks. For instance, they explain the importance of salting the cucumber juice in the soup to intensify the flavor or on how to properly sear pork chops to ensure they cook evenly. They also discuss different ways to cut vegetables for different textures, and the best method to grill meat.

Overall, "Summer Dinner for Two" offers a variety of mouthwatering recipes that showcase fresh ingredients and are perfect for a romantic dinner al fresco. With its helpful cooking tips and delicious dishes, this episode of America's Test Kitchen is sure to inspire viewers to get in the kitchen and start cooking.