INGREDIENTS:96 small stalks fresh asparagus (4 lbs.)
3/4 cup walnut or olive oil
12 small red onions (4 ½ lbs.)
as needed, olive oil
as needed, kosher salt
as needed, cracked pepper
½ cup balsamic vinegar
3 Tbsp. sherry vinegar
Wild Rice:
3/4 cup plump dried cherries or blueberries
6 Tbsp. port wine
as needed, hot water
1 lb. (2 ½ cups) wild rice
1 ½ cups cranberry juice
1 cup apple cider
3/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
DIRECTIONS:Trim and peel asparagus stalks. Heat oil in large saute pan, add asparagus and saute until tender-crisp. Remove from pan with tongs and plunge into ice water to cool.
Leaving skin on, cut onions into quarters, with root ends trimmed but still intact to hold quarters together. Rub onions with olive oil, then dust with salt and pepper. Spread quarters out on sheet pan. Roast at 375°F for 30 minutes or until roasted tender but not too soft. Cool and peel. Coat asparagus and onions with balsamic and sherry vinegars, allowing them to marinate at least 1 hour.
For wild rice: Cover cherries or berries with port. Add ¼ cup hot water; let stand 5 minutes. Rinse rice well, place in saucepan and add 2 cups water. Add cranberry juice, cider and cherry-port mixture. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour and 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until rice has absorbed liquid and is still slightly chewy. Add salt and pepper to taste.
For each serving: Press warm rice mixture into 4 oz. mold and invert onto center of plate. Arrange 4 onion quarters around rice and weave 8 asparagus spears in circle over and around onions. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. pine nuts. SERVINGS:12 servings From:Chef/owner Joseph Wrede, Joseph’s Table, Taos, New Mexico PHOTO CREDIT:Photo Credit: NATIONAL ONION ASSOCIATION