Quick Pickled Asparagus #KitchenMatrixCookingProject

Here we are at the second #KitchenMatrixCookingProject post for June. This month, Karen of Karen's Kitchen Stories selected our recipes. This week she has us looking at Asparagus + 12 Ways. You can read more about our project: here. We'd love to have you join us. And, if you don't have a copy of his cookbook, you can read his asparagus matrix online.

So, Bittman suggests steamed asparagus served with browned butter; roasted with or without bacon; stir-fried with chicken and shiitakes; and grilled with a red pepper glaze. Those all sounds spectacular. But my absolute favorite way to serve and eat asparagus is quick pickled! So, I'm jumping off the 12 Ways reservation and sharing my recipe for saving these beautiful spears for another day. But first...

The Other Asparagus Posts

An InLinkz Link-up

Quick Pickled Asparagus 

Ingredients

• 2 pounds organic asparagus
• 3 C distilled white vinegar 
• 1 C water 
• 1 T salt 
• 2 t organic granulated sugar
• 3 t yellow mustard seeds, divided into 1 t portions
• 3 t fennel seeds, divided into 1 t portions
• 1-1/2 t pink peppercorns, divided into 1/2 t portions
• 3 cloves of garlic
• Also needed: 3 jars, lids and rings

Procedure

Sterilize the jars, rings, and lids in boiling water and keep hot. Place 1 t mustard seeds, 1 t fennel seeds, and 1/2 t pink peppercorns into the bottom of each jar.

Trim asparagus to the shoulder of your jars. Quickly blanch them. And when they're cool enough to handle, pack the asparagus into the jars as tightly as you can.

In a large pot, stir together the vinegar, water, salt and sugar. Bring to a boil. Ladle the boiling bring over the asparagus. Top the jars with lids and rims and tighten to finger-tight. Invert jars on a towel-lined surface to move the spices throughout the jars.

Place in a hot water bath. Simmer for 10 minutes to process. Remove to a towel-lined counter and let cool for 12 to 24 hours. Test jars for a good seal. Refrigerate any jars that do not seal properly. Let pickles ferment for 1 week before eating.