Asparagus With Salsa Verde and Scarlet Onions

• 1 small red onion, sliced into thin rounds
• A few tablespoons white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar, more to taste
• Sea salt
• 1 1/2 pounds asparagus
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped tarragon
• 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
• 1 wide band orange zest, finely slivered and blanched for 10 seconds
• 4 to 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• Black pepper

1. Separate sliced onion rings and toss with vinegar and a pinch of salt.
2. Set aside in refrigerator.
3. If asparagus spears are thick, peel stalks and cut off tough stem ends.
4. If they are thin, snap off bottom of each stalk where it breaks easily and trim ends.
5. Simmer asparagus with water to cover until bright green but still a little firm, about 3 minutes for thin spears, 5 minutes or longer for fat.
6. They can be a bit underdone.
7. Remove to a towel to dry; asparagus will finish cooking as it sits.
8. Put parsley, tarragon and capers in a bowl.
9. Finely dice half the orange zest, then dice half the pickled onion.
10. Add diced zest and onion to bowl.
11. Stir in oil, mustard, orange juice and vinegar to taste.
12. Season with salt and pepper.
13. Lay asparagus on a platter.
14. Ladle sauce over stems and tips and finish with remaining slivered orange zest and pickled onion rings.
15. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

red onion, white wine vinegar, salt, asparagus, parsley, tarragon, capers, orange zest, olive oil, mustard, orange juice, black pepper

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014666 (may not work)