One of the first crops each spring is asparagus (Asparagus afficinalus), a member of the lily family that includes onions, leeks and garlic.
Asparagus is a nutrient-dense food high in folic acid and a good source of potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C, and thiamin. It has no fat, cholesterol and is low in sodium.
Look for firm, fresh spears with closed, compact tips and uniform diameter, so that all spears will cook in the same amount of time. The larger-diameter spears are more tender. The quality will deteriorate very rapidly after it has been harvested, so keep it cool. Trim the stem ends about ¼ inch and wash in warm water several times. Pat dry and place in moisture-proof wrapping. Refrigerate and use within two or three days for best quality. To maintain freshness, wrap a moist paper towel around the stem ends, or stand upright in 2 inches of cold water.
To prepare, trim stem ends slightly and cook fresh asparagus for 5 to 8 minutes in boiling water for a crisp and tender result. To steam asparagus in an upright position, fasten the stalks into a bundle using a band of foil or string. Stand the stalks upright in the double boiler or percolator with the tips extending an inch or more above the boiling, salted water. (A glass cooking vessel works best.) Cover and cook until tender, 5 to 8 minutes.
Asparagus is great for freezing, canning or pickling. Here are some tips in preserving asparagus safely.
Freezing
Select tender tips of asparagus. Wash spears thoroughly under running water and sort into sizes. Trim stalks and remove the scales with a sharp knife. Cut into even lengths to fit into freezer containers or bags. Asparagus should be blanched — immersed in boiling water — for 2 to 4 minutes depending on the size of the stalks. The blanching kills enzymes that could cause the asparagus to become tough and taste woody. After blanching, cool in ice water for the same length of time it was blanched. This stops the cooking process. After cooling, drain and pat dry. Pack asparagus spears into containers or freezer bags, seal and freeze.
Canning
Wash asparagus thoroughly and trim scales and tough ends. Wash again and cut into 1-inch pieces or leave whole. Pack raw asparagus tightly into jars leaving 1-inch head space. Add boiling water. If you like, add ½ teaspoon of salt per pint. Remove any air bubbles and cover with two-piece lid. Process in a pressure canner at 11 pounds pressure — pint jars for 30 minutes, quart jars for 40 minutes.
You can fit more into the jars if you pack the asparagus while it’s hot. Using this hot-pack method will give you a darker-colored asparagus and will be more cooked. To hot pack, cover washed asparagus with boiling water and boil for 3 minutes. Place the hot asparagus spears into hot jars, cover with boiling water and remove the air bubbles. Salt if you wish. Cover with a two-piece lid and process in a pressure canner. Process at 11 pounds pressure — pints for 30 minutes, quart jars for 40 minutes.
Note that there is no safe way to can asparagus using a water-bath canner. If you don’t want to use a pressure canner, you need to pickle it or freeze it.
Pickling
Pickling asparagus involves covering raw asparagus with hot pickling brine. The brine contains vinegar, which retards the harmful bacteria that otherwise would grow. After covering the asparagus with the hot brine, you process it in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes. See the recipe at right for the perfect Washington Pickled Asparagus recipe.
Don’t forget to check the WSU website for upcoming food preservation classes and gauge testing clinics: http://clark.wsu.edu, click on “events calendar.”
Sandra Brown is the food safety and nutrition expert for the Washington State University Cooperative Extension in Clark, Cowlitz and Wahkiakum counties. Reach her at 360-397-6060, ext. 7712 or browns@wsu.edu. The WSU Cooperative Extension in Clark County is at 11104 N.E. 149th St., Building C-100, Brush Prairie, WA 98606.
Washington Pickled Asparagus
8 pints of asparagus spears
6 cups of water
6 cups white vinegar
6 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons of pickling spices (tied in a white cloth bag)
Wash and trim asparagus spears. Cut them to fit the pint or quart jars.
Combine the rest of the ingredients in a pan and bring to a boil.
Pack raw asparagus spears (tips down for easy removal) into the jars.
Cover with the boiling brine solution and add one clove of garlic per jar.
Remove the air bubbles, wipe rim of jar with a clean cloth and cover with two-piece lids.
Process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes, whether using pint or quart jars.
