Lemon-Marinated Asparagus

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke heart quarters, drained
• 1 (4-ounce) jar diced pimiento, drained
• 2 pounds fresh asparagus
• Garnish: lemon rind strips

Preparation

1. Whisk together lemon juice and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl; add artichoke quarters and diced pimiento, and gently toss. Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight.
2. Snap off tough ends of asparagus; cook in boiling salted water to cover 3 minutes or until crisp-tender.
3. Drain asparagus, and plunge into ice water to stop cooking process. Place cooked asparagus in a large heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag, and store overnight in refrigerator, if desired.
4. Add asparagus to artichoke mixture, and gently toss. Cover and chill 2 hours. Garnish, if desired.