Tangy, crunchy and addictive
Pickling is a delightful way to enjoy vegetables. It preserves their freshness and texture and adds a juicy tanginess to them – and asparagus make super-delicious pickles! Since the spring shoots are pickled raw, they remain crunchy. Plus the pickled juices in this recipe lend their alluring flavors to the tender spears. Indeed, the asparagus turn out to be as addictive as candies.
Use skinny asparagus spears for the best texture and flavor
One recommendation, though: use skinny asparagus, the pencil-thin kind, for pickling – they’re much more refined and delicate, and they end up soaking more of the flavor from the pickling juices. The pickled asparagus are delicious layered in a sandwich or tossed in a salad. But they’re also superb on their own as a side veggie, a condiment, an hors d’oeuvre or a tapa.
Recipe
Quinoa tabbouleh with pickled asparagus and tangelos
Pickled asparagus with pink peppercorn and mustard seeds
makes 1 lb (455 g)
active time: 15 min
- 1 1/4 cups Champagne vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
- 1 1/4 cups apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1 1/4 cups organic sugar
- 4 strips lemon peel (3″ long)
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
- 1 tablespoon whole pink peppercorn (or black peppercorn)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 1/2 lbs (680 g) pencil-thin asparagus – tough ends snapped off
- Place the vinegars, water, sugar, lemon peel, mustard seeds, pink peppercorn and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally so the sugar dissolves. Once boiling, remove pan from heat and let cool to room temperature to infuse. (Do not cover the pan.) Once the pickling juices have cooled, place the asparagus in a tall glass jar and pour the pickling juices over them. Push the asparagus down a few times so they are submerged (the asparagus will float) and refrigerate for a minimum of 24 hours and a maximum of 1 week. The asparagus will start turning yellow if stored for a longer period.
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What a fantastic idea!! I love pickled anything really, never would have thought about asparagus!
The pink peppercorns are so pretty in the jar. I’ve never pickled asparagus, and now I can’t wait to try it!
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I love pretty much anything pickled, but like Angie, I’ve never tried asparagus. These look quite delicious and I love the idea of using them on sandwiches. Beautiful jar of asparagus Viviane!
Mj, you will adore pickled asparagus… I can pretty much vouch for that. Thank you so much for stopping by!
Ok, so after I put the brine in the jars, do I cover the jars when I refrigerate them? How long will they keep without spoiling?
Dick, it’s all in the recipe and video (take a peek :-))! Yes, you cover the jar and refrigerate… and then you eat your spears within a week as the asparagus are quite delicate and will turn yellow quickly. Bon appétit!
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I have never thought of doing the pickled asparagus, let alone using rose peppercorns in the brine. An excellent idea!
Thank you, Angie! These pickles are very much a “spring” treat!