Let’s first address asparagus. Asparagus spears have two parts: a part we can eat and a part that’s too woody. The bottom end (the end opposite the side that looks like an arrowhead) is the woody end. Somewhere along the length of the spear, that woody part gives way to a more tender part. Where exactly that point is located will depend on the individual spear, so the best advice I can offer is to bend each spear and let it break where it wants to.
After I break each spear individually, I cook asparagus twice. I blanch it in boiling water for 2-3 minutes and then shock it in an ice bath. This sets the vibrant green color and stops the cooking process, so the spears don’t overcook and go mushy while I’m resetting my station for the next phase (which I guess is actually two phases in one). Once I blanch and shock the asparagus, I like being really quick about having pressed or minced garlic ready. Coat the bottom of a skillet or a sauté pan with a thin film of oil and sauté the asparagus in the oil. Season the spears now with salt and pepper. If after a few minutes they aren’t as tender as you want them, put a splash of water in your pan, cover it with its proper lid, and let the spears steam for a few minutes. As the spears cook, I like to make a batch of either béchamel or hollandaise to serve atop the spears.
I also typically serve another side: brussels sprouts glazed in balsamic vinegar. As I’m preparing my sprouts by trimming their root ends and cutting them in half through said roots (never at their equators—that would destroy their structure!), I preheat my oven to 400 Fahrenheit. I recommend starting Brussels sprouts on the stovetop in a pan (that was initially cold) with a thin film of olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper. After a few minutes in said pan, they get drizzled with balsamic vinegar, tossed so the vinegar coats them completely, and they go into the oven (which by now should be up to temperature) until a paring knife goes through them with almost no resistance. I don’t want mush, but I want something soft and buttery—literally, like the texture of softened butter you would use while baking. Getting the outer layers crisp and caramelized and the inner layers tender and buttery (without burning anything) is quite the challenge, but the rewards are immense.
After I break each spear individually, I cook asparagus twice. I blanch it in boiling water for 2-3 minutes and then shock it in an ice bath. This sets the vibrant green color and stops the cooking process, so the spears don’t overcook and go mushy while I’m resetting my station for the next phase (which I guess is actually two phases in one). Once I blanch and shock the asparagus, I like being really quick about having pressed or minced garlic ready. Coat the bottom of a skillet or a sauté pan with a thin film of oil and sauté the asparagus in the oil. Season the spears now with salt and pepper. If after a few minutes they aren’t as tender as you want them, put a splash of water in your pan, cover it with its proper lid, and let the spears steam for a few minutes. As the spears cook, I like to make a batch of either béchamel or hollandaise to serve atop the spears.
I also typically serve another side: brussels sprouts glazed in balsamic vinegar. As I’m preparing my sprouts by trimming their root ends and cutting them in half through said roots (never at their equators—that would destroy their structure!), I preheat my oven to 400 Fahrenheit. I recommend starting Brussels sprouts on the stovetop in a pan (that was initially cold) with a thin film of olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper. After a few minutes in said pan, they get drizzled with balsamic vinegar, tossed so the vinegar coats them completely, and they go into the oven (which by now should be up to temperature) until a paring knife goes through them with almost no resistance. I don’t want mush, but I want something soft and buttery—literally, like the texture of softened butter you would use while baking. Getting the outer layers crisp and caramelized and the inner layers tender and buttery (without burning anything) is quite the challenge, but the rewards are immense.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment