Sweet and Sour Asparagus

This is great at a picnic when you have tired of all the same old salads. Very versatile, you can serve it cold or room temperature. You can certainly chop up the asparagus, but I found that it always overcooks. I like the presentation of the long spears on a nice white platter. This goes great with a platter of sliced baked ham and some potato salad or with hamburgers and hot dogs. Enjoy!

Step: 1

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the asparagus, and cook uncovered until slightly tender, about 1 minute. Drain in a colander, then immediately immerse in ice water for several minutes until cold to stop the cooking process. Once the asparagus spears are cold, place them on paper towels to dry.

Step: 2

Bring vinegar, water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves, celery seed, and salt to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Boil for 5 minutes.

Step: 3

Spread the asparagus spears in a large dish or baking pan. Pour the vinegar mixture over the asparagus. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and serve cold or at room temperature.

Per Serving: 79 calories; protein 2.8g; carbohydrates 18.4g; fat 0.3g; sodium 162.9mg.