Pickled Asparagus Recipe

Pickled Asparagus Recipe

This particular recipe is adapted from the Pickled Asparagus with Mustard Seed recipe found in Put ‘em Up! by Sherri Brooks Vinton. I was fortunate to hear Ms. Brooks-Vinton speak at the Mother Earth News Fair a few years ago. She was friendly and engaging with an obvious love of all things preserving. Yield 3 quarts.

8 lbs. asparagus, washed and trimmed


8 cups cider vinegar
2 cups water
1/2 cup pickling salt
1/4 cup sugar
3 garlic cloves
2 tbsp celery seed
2 tbsp mustard seed
2 tsp peppercorns



Trim the asparagus to lengths about 1 inch shorter than the quart jars. Tip the clean jars on their side and pack with the asparagus. Note: I use tongs for this step. Add one peeled garlic clove to each jar. In a medium saucepan (not aluminum) combine vinegar, water, salt, sugar, celery seed, mustard seed, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt. Remove from heat. Using a ladle and funnel, fill the jars with the water/vinegar brine mix. Leave 1/2 inch of head space. Carefully run a nonmetallic utensil down inside of jars to remove trapped air bubbles. Wipe jar tops and threads clean. Place lids on jars and screw bands on firmly. Process in boiling water canner for 20 minutes. Remove from canner. Let the jars cool, undisturbed, for 24 hours. Make sure jars have sealed, remove screw bands, and store in a cool, dark place. Let sit for 2-3 weeks before enjoying!

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/pickled-asparagus-zbcz1406.aspx#ixzz34HFTzBnv

Roasted Asparagus

Roasted Asparagus

Wash a bunch of asparagus and gently dry on some paper towels.
Break off the ends of the asparagus or break off one and line up the tips and cut the rest off.
Save the stalks in a zip top bag in the freezer for cream of asparagus soup.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the asparagus on a baking sheet.  I usually put them on a sheet of parchment because I hate washing baking sheets.
Drizzle a generous amount of EVOO on the asparagus.  Toss them around a bit with your fingers and add more EVOO if need be.  Sprinkle liberally with seasoned salt or your favorite seasoning.  Salt, pepper, garlic and lemon juice is another nice option.
Bake in oven for 10-15 minutes until they are done tossing once during cooking time.  They are done when they are soft, but yet still have a bite to them when you test one.  ;)
Pencil thin asparagus takes less time to cook then thicker asparagus.

Quick Asparagus Tart

Quick Asparagus Tart
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
12 stalks asparagus, washed and trimmed
1/8 cup olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
pinch of red pepper flake
salt (optional)*
Parmiggiano-Reggiano, freshly grated (optional)

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut puff pastry in half and place on a lined baking sheet. Heat oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes over medium heat until fragrant - about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and brush the puff pastry sheets with the olive oil. Arrange asparagus stalks on the pastry and brush with olive oil. Scatter garlic and pepper pieces over the pastry and bake for about 13 minutes, until dough is golden brown and done.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese, if using. If not, lightly salt and enjoy!

Yields 2 tarts.

Asparagus Puff Pastry Snacks

Asparagus Puff Pastry Snacks
This recipe calls for canned asparagus.
If using fresh, drizzle with EVOO and add additional cooking time


PREPARATION TIME: 20 minutes

COOKING TIME: 15 minutes

SERVES: 8

INGREDIENTS:
1 sheet frozen puff pastry semi thawed
1/3 cup cream cheese
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill or chives
425g can Edgell Asparagus Spears, drained
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese


INSTRUCTIONS:
STEP 1
Divide pastry sheet in half and cut each half into 4 equal strips.

STEP 2
Place the 8 strips onto a greased baking tray and spread with combined cream cheese and chopped dill.

STEP 3
Arrange 2 - 3 drained Edgell Asparagus Spears on each strip of pastry and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C(4oo°F) and bake for 15-18 minutes.

TIP: Finely chopped cooked bacon can be added to the cream cheese.