The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science

ALL ABOUT ASPARAGUS You may be wondering why asparagus gets its own gigantic sidebar all to i ...

chlorophyll development), or one of the purple varieties, you should look for the same things: firm, crisp ...

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Q: What about thickness? Does it make a difference in flavor? Asparagus comes in all sizes, from slim ...

methods. Spears thicker than ⅓ inch are considerably more tender than thinner stalks, but they ca ...

I snapped every one of these stalks with my hands, holding each one of them at the exact same ...

Q: Should I peel my asparagus? Even when the stalks are properly trimmed, the outer layers can ...

Q: What’s the best way to store asparagus? The best way to store asparagus is not to. As I said, its flavor ...

MICRO-STEAMED GREEN BEANS WITH OLIVES AND ALMONDS SERVES 2 OR 3 8 ounces green beans, ends trimmed Kosher sa ...

MICRO-STEAMED CORN WITH GARLIC-CHILI BUTTER Corn is pretty much custom-made for the microwave. The husks trap ...

Essential VEGETABLE Technique #2: SEARING/SAUTÉING Though searing and sautéing are similar in appearance and setup—bot ...

Brassicas—that is, cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and the like—are particular w ...

above this 180°F mark as quickly as possible. Searing is one of the best ways to accomplish this, Let’s ...

You could try doing that in a dry skillet, but air is a notoriously poor conductor of heat, ...

skillet—just enough to cover the bacon. If you blast the heat, the water quickly evaporates, all the whi ...

After they’re charred in the bacon or other pork fat, I season the sprouts with plenty ...

to judge the salt level), then toss them together with the crisp bacon. If you’re feeling extra-plucky, ...

KNIFE SKILLS: How to Prepare Brussels Sprouts Getting Brussels sprouts ready to cook is an easy task, but it’s ...

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SEARED BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH BACON NOTE: To prepare these for a crowd, double or triple the ingredients. Preh ...