Buttery Spring Vegetables

No disrespec t to desser t, but per fec tly cooked veget ables can dazzle , too.

j B Y A N D R E A G E A R Y k

Recipes for butter-braised spring vegetables abound, but don’t let them lead you astray. Braising simply doesn’t work for tender spring produce.

Winter vegetables are another story: If you slowly braise sturdy carrots, parsnips, and potatoes in butter over low heat in a covered pot, they stew in their own juices, turning perfectly tender with an earthy sweetness. But do the same with delicate asparagus and peas and you get sodden, drab mush.

That’s why most so-called butter-braised spring vegetables aren’t technically braised. Instead they’re cooked rapidly in a covered skillet with a small amount of butter and water or broth. But I reject those recipes, too. Because the vegetables cook directly in the buttery liquid, they become dull and waterlogged and the buttery richness is lost. For spring vegetables that retained their vibrant colors and crisp textures and butter that clung to their surfaces, I’d have to find another way.

But first, which vegetables to cook? Asparagus, emblematic of spring, was a must. Sugar snap peas would provide the sweetness of their shelled cousins but with extra, well, snap. And I confess I chose radishes mostly for their dazzling color. Turnips’ hint of bitterness rounded out my medley.

To prevent the vegetables from becoming soggy, I decided to cook them in a steamer basket over a small amount of water. I halved the radishes and cut the asparagus and turnips to match the size of the whole sugar snap peas, hoping similar dimensions would help the vegetables cook at the same rate.

It didn’t quite work out, though. The asparagus and turnips were perfectly crisp-tender after 5 minutes, but by that time the peas had long lost their snap. Much of the radishes’ color had leached into the water below, and their crisp pepperiness had given way to a vaguely cabbage-like flavor.

For my next batch, I gave the asparagus and turnips a 2-minute head start before adding the peas. And I added the radishes, cut into slim half-moons, just for the last minute to warm through. I lifted the steamer basket out of the saucepan, discarded the water, and tumbled the vegetables back into the saucepan. I stirred in some butter and a bit of salt and transferred everything to a platter.

The colors were beautiful and the vegetables nearly perfectly cooked. However, the butter had slipped right off the food and pooled on the platter.

For my next batch, I spread the vegetables on the platter right after steaming to let excess heat escape and prevent them from overcooking while I made a quick version of the French butter sauce called beurre blanc. An emulsion of flavorful liquid and butter, a beurre blanc coats food much better than butter alone (see “Another Reason to Emulsify” on page 31).

I poured off most of the water from the saucepan and added minced shallot, white wine vinegar, salt, and a bit of sugar. Once the shallot softened, I whisked in chilled butter, tablespoon by tablespoon, until the sauce had the viscosity of heavy cream. I added the vegetables to the sauce, gave them a stir, and returned everything to the platter, finishing with a light sprinkle of minced chives.

The result was a platter of buttery, vibrant, perfectly cooked vegetables worthy of a spring celebration—and certainly worth celebrating.

STA G G E R YO U R ST E A M I N G

Perfectly timed steaming results in perfectly crisp-tender vegetables.

Start with turnip and asparagus Steam for 2 minutes

Add sugar snap peas Steam for 2 minutes

Add radishes Steam for 1 minute more

See: A Celebration of Spring A step-by-step video is available at CooksIllustrated.com/jun18 An emulsified sauce coats crisp-tender vegetables.

BU T T E RY S P R I N G V E G E TA B L E S

S E RV E S 6

To ensure that the turnips are tender, peel them thoroughly to remove not only the tough outer skin but also the fibrous layer of flesh just beneath. This recipe works best with thick asparagus spears that are between ½ and ¾ inch in diameter.

1 pound turnips, peeled and cut into ½-inch by ½-inch by 2-inch batons 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut on bias into 2-inch lengths 8 ounces sugar snap peas, strings removed, trimmed 4 large radishes, halved and sliced thin 1 tablespoon minced shallot 1½ teaspoons white wine vinegar ¾ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon sugar 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces and chilled 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives

1. Bring 1 cup water to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Place steamer basket over boiling water. Add turnips and asparagus to basket, cover saucepan, and reduce heat to medium. Cook until vegetables are slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add snap peas, cover, and cook until snap peas are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add radishes, cover, and cook for 1 minute. Lift basket out of saucepan and transfer vegetables to platter. Spread into even layer to allow steam to dissipate. Discard all but 3 tablespoons liquid from saucepan. 2. Return saucepan to medium heat. Add shallot, vinegar, salt, and sugar and cook until mixture is reduced to 1½ tablespoons (it will barely cover bottom of saucepan), about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, whisking vigorously after each addition, until butter is incorporated and sauce has consistency of heavy cream, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat. Add vegetables and stir to coat. Dry platter and return vegetables to platter. Sprinkle with chives and serve.