Asparagus with Lemon and Onion
from “Easy Japanese Pickling
serves 4
page 19
- a large bunch of asparagus
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 4 Tablespoons vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/4 onion, thinly sliced
- thin lemon slices
Blanch asparagus. Spread out in a colander to cool. Cut into 1-inch pieces.
Boil water sugar, and salt breifly. Add vinegar and lemon juice. Add the onion and garlic. Add the lemon slices.
Add the asparagus, and marinate for 2-3 hours.
Note: If you let the vegetables marinate too long (overnight), and use purple asparagus, it loses its color though the onions, garlic, and even the lemon slices turn pink.
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Tess's Japanese Kitchen 
I’m always happy when I see recipes that use what’s in season. Is this used as a relish of sorts? A side dish?
It’s a tsukemono: a sort of lightly pickled vegetable side-dish. Essentially marinated vegetables.
Traditional Japanese meals don’t have salads of uncooked, non-transformed vegetables. The simplest meal is rice, miso soup, and pickles—more so than our version of “meat and potatoes” or “bread and butter.” These quick pickles are apparently very popular in Japan, judging by the number of cookbooks and TV shows that feature them (info from blogs I read, Google searches for Japanese recipes or words).
Yes, I know, just about any Japanese restaurant here serves a lettuce salad, but it’s not traditional.
Thanks for the idea: I couldn’t think of a thing to say about this recipe other than not to let it sit too long.