How to Prepare Asparagus and Other Vegetables

In this article:

•  Video: Jacques Pépin Preps Asparagus
•  Video: How to Peel Broccoli, Peppers and Carrots
•  Video: How to Wash Spinach
•  Video: How to Shuck Corn
•  Video: How to Shell Peas and Beans
• Recipes for Asparagus

Peeling and Trimming Asparagus

Peeling asparagus helps you use more of the stalk. Here, how to do it.

Peeling Broccoli

Though they often go to waste, broccoli stems are tender and sweet once they’ve been peeled and cooked. Jacques Pépin shows how to use them.

Peeling Peppers

Jacques Pépin shows the best way to peel a bell pepper.

Peeling a Carrot

Here, a great technique for peeling carrots in a single stroke.

Prepping Spinach

Chef Jacques Pépin shows how to prep spinach.

Cutting Corn Off the Cob

Here’s an invaluable tip for removing corn kernels from the cob.

Shelling Peas

Master chef Jacques Pépin shares a technique for quickly shelling peas.

Shelling Fava Beans

A great technique for shelling fava beans.

Favorite Recipes for Asparagus

Smoky Glazed Asparagus

Chef Nate Appleman swears by coating vegetables with a mayonnaise-based marinade; it creates a beautifully blistered crust when grilled. Here he offers a marinade for trimmed asparagus that is also fabulous on broccoli and fennel.

Penne with Asparagus, Sage and Peas

For a simple spring dish, chef Cindy Pawlcyn folds penne with asparagus and sweet English peas, then adds a little cream for richness.

White Asparagus and Ham Gratin

Like a frugal Alsatian housewife, Jean-Georges Vongerichten uses the asparagus peels to make a fragrant broth. When he adds them to boiling water, their characteristically grassy aroma emerges almost immediately.

Shaved Raw Asparagus with Parmesan Dressing

Asparagus often makes wine taste vegetal. To counter that, chef Mark Ladner of Manhattan's Del Posto mixes shaved spears with a supremely wine-friendly ingredient: parmesan.

 Slideshow: More Great Vegetable Recipes

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