Taming of the Jumbo Asparagus

About author / Amy Powell

World traveler; gourmet 30 minute meals; lover of exotic ingredients; winner on FoodTV's Chefs vs City; graduate French Culinary Institute. Her recipes will tantalize your taste buds.

To peel or not to peel, that is sometimes the question with asparagus. Actually, in most American homes peeling almost never happens. It is an extra step, a fussy extravagance we are more likely to associate with fancy French restaurants than the sort of simple farm-to-table cooking we champion as American these days.

Why would you peel asparagus anyway? Aren’t the prized variety the kind that is thinner than a pencil and tender enough to be eaten raw?

Certainly those slim green sticks are delightful. They cook quickly in salted water and need little more prep than a trim or snap of their woody ends. But I’m here to make a case for the thick variety, the sturdy trunks bundled together and bound with rubber bands often overlooked by those home cooks with a prejudice for thin.

Do not fear these hearty green monsters! They can be tamed with that simple, tedious trick called peeling. For under that tough outer layer is a tender, pale interior that melts on the tongue like the most supple of vegetables.

What’s more, removing the tough outer layer rids asparagus of its sometimes overly “green” taste. Though most chefs go crazy over the first spring asparagus, that green flavor is difficult to pair with wine and can overwhelm other flavors in a dish. Peel away that tough outer layer, however, and though the “green” remains, it is definitely milder.

Peeling might be tedious, but, like with most kitchen tasks, it is infinitely easier with the proper tool. Here I recommend the sort of vegetable peeler sometimes called a Swiss peeler (when laid down flat the blade forms a T with the handle as opposed to the straight line of most traditional peelers). This particular peeler produces a thinner peel and is easier to hold when working with a vegetable on a flat work surface.

Which brings us to the task of just how to peel those pesky vegetables. Start by trimming off the woody ends as you would with any traditional asparagus. Working one at a time, lay one down on a cutting board, holding the tip gently to keep it from rolling. Place the blade of the peeler just below the asparagus tip and proceed to peel down and away along the stalk. Turn the spear slightly and repeat around the spear. You will be left with a peeled stalk and fully intact asparagus tip.

Cooking is simple. Once peeled, they will require no more time in salted boiling water than thinner, unpeeled asparagus.

Now you might be wondering how to serve these gentle behemoths. I would treat them as the star attraction of a simple starter at dinner or as a lunch unto themselves. You will need no more than 3-4 spears per person arranged side-by-side on a plate. If you were feeling fancier and traditional French, here is where you would top with Hollandaise. For the rest of us, a single poached egg makes a lovely instant sauce. To serve, top each asparagus plate with a single egg, sprinkle of chives, salt, and pepper.

When you have the right tools and a little direction, an extra step like peeling can pay off with a dish as elegant to behold as it was simple to prepare.

Serves/Makes: 4

• 16 jumbo asparagus spears
• salt
• 4 eggs
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• fresh chives, minced, optional
• black pepper
• sea salt