Pickled Asparagus

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It has been a wild week of travel for our family going to and from Wichita on family business.  It feels like last week’s column was days and days ago!  Then came the heat of all heats!

 

I couldn’t wait until the pickled canning class concluded at Silver Dollar City so I could share this great recipe with my readers.  You may be thinking: ‘Gross, I hate asparagus.’  Well, I’ve got news for you, this recipe will adapt to anything you want pickled!  You could pickle onions, peppers, okra, green tomatoes even green beans!  One of my assistant’s, Bonnie, actually gets a ‘huge’ amount of credit for the work on this recipe.   I think she did a phenomenal job.  I tested right along with her and poof, we have a great pickling recipe, which I will use forever.

 

There is a little bit of heat in this recipe, but not enough to have you reaching for a glass of milk.  If that part bothers you just omit the spicier parts.  You can open the jar after 4 weeks, but personally I never touch pickled products until at least 6 weeks.  The flavor just gets better and better.

 

How do you use this delicious dish?  Easy, easy, whether it’s a virgin bloody mary or the real thing, this is perfect garnish.  I grew up in an era where family dinners often included a relish tray of pickled foods.  This tradition of pickling goes back to the Dutch who refer to it as pekel, and the German who refer to pickling as pokel, which means salt or brine.   It’s also important to note that every country in the world has a form of pickling.  In some Middle Eastern families pickled foods are served every day.

 

Do I have to go to an outdoor market to find the product?  Absolutely not.  You can purchase everything at the grocery store, especially if it’s the right size and it’s on sale.

 

Once you get a quality dill pickling recipe the world is your oyster.  Try this recipe first and then start changing the ingredients for different fruits and vegetables.  I am anxiously awaiting early fall so I can pickle green tomatoes.  It has been ages since I had homemade.  I distinctly remember talking my mom, Betty, into making them for us years ago.  I thought they were magnificent, but I don’t remember her doing them that after that.  This was probably because my mother is a bread and butter or sweet pickle gal, not so much dill!

 

Wouldn’t it be fun to pickle a couple of jars of fun vegies for your holiday table this winter?  The best part will be that you made it yourself.  Table chatter, I can hear it now.

 

Have a glorious week and remember to remain positive and focused on how you can make a difference.  Simply yours, The Covered Dish.  www.thecovereddish.com

 

Pickled Asparagus

 

4-5 Quart Jars, flats & rings

Vinegar Mixture

5-6 pounds green asparagus, washed & trimmed*

8 cups water

8 cups white vinegar

2/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons canning salt

 

Per Quart Jar

1 sprig fresh dill

1 teaspoon mustard seed

1 teaspoon dill seed

1 teaspoon dill weed

2 garlic cloves, cut in half (depending upon size)

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Large layers of onion**

 

Wash and prepare asparagus to fit jars of choice.  It will be easier to fill a wide-mouth quart, however; the small mouth keeps the asparagus down in the jar better.

 

In a large stockpot place all ingredients for the vinegar mixture.  Bring to a boil to totally dissolve sugar and salt, stirring to blend.  Remove from heat.  Prepare jars individually with spices.

 

Pack asparagus spears into the jars as tightly as possible.  Pour the vinegar mixture into each jar, filling to the bottom of the jar neck.  Wipe tops of jars clean before adding flats and rings.  **Sometimes pieces of onion can be placed across the top of the vegetable, in order to keep the pickled product down in the jar.

 

In a small saucepan place jar flats, cover with water and bring to a complete hard boil, allow to simmer 4-5 additional minutes.   Remove flats one at a time, lightly dry and attach, adding jar rings & tightening.  Continue until all jars are sealed.  Move jars to a cooling location and cover with a towel.  Try not to move or shake jars for 12-24 hours.  Jars should ‘ping’ as they seal.  Do not attempt to eat asparagus for at least four weeks, preferable six.    Produces approximately 4-5 quarts.

 

This recipe could also be used for pickled okra, gherkins, green beans or green tomatoes.  Grape leaves may also be added to keep pickles of all sorts crisp.

 

*When choosing asparagus to pickle do not use asparagus smaller than a #2 pencil; remember, as the asparagus pickles it shrinks.  The best size is close to the diameter of a woman’s ring finger to pinky.

 

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