Eat them on their own, add to a crudité platter or use as a garnish for your Caesar cocktail. 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs thin to medium-thick asparagus
• 8 sprigs fresh dill
• 2 cups white wine vinegar 4 cloves garlic, slivered
• 1/4 cup salt
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp black peppercorns
• 1 tbsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp whole allspice
• 1/4 tsp coriander seeds

DIRECTIONS

1 Trim the bottoms of the asparagus and stand the spears upright in two 24-ounce containers or jars, with the tips sitting at least half an inch below the lid. Add the dill to the containers.

2 In a large saucepan, combine the vinegar with the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand until the brine is lukewarm.

3 Pour the brine over the asparagus. Cover and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavours to meld. The asparagus will keep, refrigerated, for up to one month

Makes: Two 24-oz jars

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Excerpted from Farm to Chef by Lynn Crawford, Copyright © 2017. Photography Copyright © 2017 by Virginia MacDonald. Excerpted by permission of Penguin Canada. All rights reserved.