Caramelizing red onions in a pungent soy-ginger braising sauce and pairing with farm-fresh asparagus leads to an Asian-inspired side dish your friends and family will request again and again.
Ingredients
- ½ cup cashews, roughly chopped
- 2 lbs. asparagus, medium thickness
- ¼ cup peanut oil
- ¼ cup sesame oil
- ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons minced fresh ginger
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 red onions, thinly sliced
- 1 Tablespoon finely grated orange peel
Instructions
For variation, add complementary vegetables such as bok choy, broccoli, Napa cabbage or shiitake mushrooms.
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Place cashews on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted, about 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside.
2. Trim bottoms off asparagus.
3. Heat oils, soy sauce, ginger and garlic in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook in sauce until translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove onions with a slotted spoon to a glass bowl, leaving cooking liquid in pan.
4. Place the asparagus, all facing the same direction, in the pan with sauce.
5. Sauté asparagus until tender but not soft, 3 to 5 minutes depending on the thickness of the asparagus. Turn with tongs as it cooks.
6. Layer asparagus on serving platter or individual plates.
7. Return onions to skillet to warm, and then layer over asparagus and drizzle with remaining pan sauce. Top with cashews and orange zest.
