The unseasonably warm weather we’ve had in the DC metro area lately has brought summer flavors to my mind. The one taste I can’t shake is of a really delicious asparagus salad I had at a restaurant back in July.
The pleasure of eating this salad was so great that I developed an obsession with eating it! Not one to ignore my cravings, I decided to figure out how to concoct this taste sensation at home so I can indulge whenever I want.
Like any good recipe, this one starts with that winning, foolproof combination of olive oil and garlic. Simple, yet it always satisfies.
I start off by warming the olive oil, then adding minced garlic, which I simmer gently until it began to release its sweet fragrance. To that I add one Vidalia or sweet onion, which I slice very, very thinly. I sauté the onions until they are soft and just barely beginning to brown.
At that point, I push the onions off to one side of the frying pan and add a bunch of asparagus. As I toss and turn the asparagus, I make sure not to mix them in with the onions. When my asparagus starts to turn a darker green, I remove the onions from the pan.
I then deglaze my asparagus with a generous stream of soy sauce. I stir the asparagus around until the now sizzling soy sauce eventually evaporates off.
Once the soy sauce is evaporated, I put the asparagus on a plate and top it with the sautéed onions. As a final touch, I added a sprinkling of balsamic vinegar. The end result: crisp tender asparagus topped with soft, moist and flavorful sweet onions, and balanced by the soy and balsamic in a way that will send your taste buds popping like soy in a hot frying pan!
Sound simple? It’s phenomenal! Fast, easy, tasty. Enjoy!
