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Pickled Asparagus

Prep Time:  10 minutes

     Cook Time:  10 minutes

     Serves:  8

This small-batch recipe requires no special canning supplies; it simply brines in the refrigerator for a few days.

Ingredients

  • 1¼ cup dry sparkling wine (or water)
  • 1¼ cup apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
  • ½ cup honey
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 Tbsp. minced green garlic (or 2 garlic cloves, sliced)
  • 1 Tbsp. whole black peppercorns
  • 1 tsp. each: coriander seed, cardamom seed, fennel seed, brown mustard seed
  • 1 star anise clove
  • 2 lb. asparagus, trimmed into 5-inch spears (reserve bottoms for some other use, like this Asparagus Hazelnut Pesto)

Directions

  1. Bring all ingredients but asparagus to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside to let cool slightly. This will be the brining liquid.
  2. Steam asparagus for just under a minute, then place it under cold running water for about 30 seconds to cool it slightly.
  3. Place a clean, quartsized, wide-mouth canning jar on its side and pack asparagus into jar.
  4. Place jar upright and pour the slightly cooled brining liquid over the asparagus to cover.
  5. Screw on the lid, let cool at room temperature for about an hour then refrigerate for at least a couple days before eating. Pickles will keep in the fridge for a few months.

Notes

Suggestions A large pot with colander insert works quite well for steaming all the asparagus at once, but it can also be done in batches. Read more about asparagus here!