Each vegetable should be trimmed to pieces that are
all the same basic size and shape so that they will
cook evenly. With snap peas, for instance, I remove
the strings, cut off the tips, and then slice them on a
bias into nice pea-sized pieces that cook quickly and
evenly.
For asparagus, I’ll often trim off the tips and cook
them separately from the stalks, as the tips are so
much narrower and more fragile. Fiddleheads can
be cooked as is, as can shelled peas or fava beans. If
you want to go real hard-core with your peas and
favas, blanch them, then peel off the thin skin around
each individual pea or fava. It’s time-consuming, but
you’ll end up with pretty results.
Rule #4: Trust Nothing Except
Your Own Senses
When blanching vegetables, do not rely on a timer,
do not rely on past experience—trust no one and
nothing save your own eyes and mouth. Despite the
best efforts of Big Ag, vegetables are still real, living
organisms that are naturally diverse. The asparagus
you’re cooking today is different from the asparagus
you cooked last week and will take a slightly
different cooking time.
Watch carefully as the vegetables cook. Fish out
pieces and taste them often, and as soon as they are
ready, remove them with a wire mesh strainer and
drop them into your ice bath.