Jaques Pepin Asparagus technique

[Debra]

I do absolutely LOVE grilled Asparagus but CAN NOT stand the tough ends and waste so much cutting off to be certain I do not leave them.
I ran onto a technique by Jaques Pepin I have never seen before where he uses a vegetable peeler to peel off the bottom 1/3 or so of the stock. He claims it is the skin not the flesh that is tough and chewy.
I do know Jaques is renown for tips, tricks, and technique so this will be happening on the Blackstone this afternoon.
Has anyone ever tried the peeling technique? Does it actually work?
A video by Chef Pepin.

https://www.foodandwine.com/video/jacques-pépin-peeling-and-trimming-asparagus

[FireMan]

Have seen it & tried it, manifique! Also learned of the value of the broccoli stalk from him also. 👍🕶

[Troutman]

Wow you spoke les Francais 👍

[Debra]

FireMan thank you for the tip on broccoli! I just watched his video and I will confess I was totally unaware of his broccoli technique also.
My Son is the worlds biggest fan of broccoli and cheese sauce, and I am anxious to try Pepin's technique!
I believe I will do a bit more research on Chef Pepin. He seems down to earth with his cooking styles which surprises ne very much considering his background and reputation for marvelous cooking.

[Mosca]

Jacques Pepìn is a treasure.

[Donw]

It works for us.

[Troutman]

Yep, learned it from the Master as well, along with about 100 other things !!

[JCBBQ]

Yep. He’s great.

[Debra]

I guess I am just behind the times!
Grilled asparagus is my absolute favorite and it looks like I have wasted it for years.
Going to be giving this a try tonight.
A YouTube search also brought me another technique I will be trying.
Split the stalk lengthwise and grill flat side down to begin to give a bit of char to the stalk. I do love the browned bits.

[JCBBQ]

It might be a European thing bc my Dutch FIL has always done it that way. He’s in his 80s

[Debra]

I am impressed by his knife technique.
He makes it look so simple and he is very effective. He makes you realize it is more technique than flash and speed.
I watch some Chefs on some of the cooking shows and it is almost discouraging because I would NEVER try the speed they chop at.
Chef Pepin is fast enough but seems to be always precise and controlled.
I watched a video where he claims to have apprenticed from age 13. His apprenticeship was served at his Mothers restaurant I believe he said.
That would be many many years of learning his trade.

[RonB]

Asparagus is one of our favorites, so I will be trying this the next time I cook some.

Thanks

[Rob whatever]

I always do that. I also always blanch the asparagus and then finish on the grill, oven or stovetop.

rob

[Michael_in_TX]

I saw that video of his, too, and I am looking forward to trying that technique. He is such a pragmatic chef. He takes time to (quickly) explain why and how he is doing something. You pick up so much by watching his videos. I also really like that he is very quick to say that if you don't have some exotic or expensive ingredient, just leave it out. The dish will still be fine.

I enjoy adapting some of his recipes for the grill. (Which, admittedly, is not hard. When he uses the oven, I use the pellet grill.)

[Mosca]

I learned this from my mom years ago!

[IowaGirl]

Long ago I started to peel the tough skin off asparagus and broccoli stems. I figured it out on my own years before I'd ever heard of Chef Pepin.

[texastweeter]

Broccoli technique taught to me by my Grammy. Asparagus I saw Alton brown do once.

[Debra]

Tried this tonight on the Blackstone griddle.
IT WORKS WONDERFULLY!

[Michael_in_TX]

Very cool!

[Debra]

Side note.
I did have a problem with the Blackstone tonight that my Husband says he has never herd of.
I tried to start it and it wouldn't light.
I called Husband out to trouble shoot and he discovered it is not the Blackstone griddle. It is the propane bottle we just purchased.
When we open the bottle it immediately begins to leak around the stem directly below the handle. This is with the bottle being separated from the regulator even.
It leaks to the point that you can hear the gas escaping. It will shut itself off when the handle is closed but it has to be closed VERY tightly.
Husband is thinking to leave it out in the yard to drain itself before even trying to transport it back to the store to exchange.

[FireMan]

Thanks for reminding me why I don’t use a "tank exchange" process.

[FireMan]

Debra, further on Pepin, he is the hands down master at eggs. There is a vid called Egg-citing specials or some thing plus his technique on omelettes are un matched.

[IowaGirl]

I first "met" Pepin when I watched his video on deboning a chicken. I learned a lot from that. He's an excellent teacher.

[Debra]

FireMan My Husband LOVES Pepin's version of scrambled eggs and has mastered them completely. To me they are too runny but he loves them.
As for the propane? Husband is absolutely paranoid to the point of being maddening concerning propane bottles.
See says he witnessed too often propane storage fgone wrong while working overseas.

[FireMan]

That’s why Pepin says with his omelet "one is not better, just different".
Yeah, I’m a control freak when it come to propane.