Beef and Asparagus with Caramelized Onion Aioli

1. Trim fat from meat. Thinly slice meat across the grain into long strips. Place meat in a resealable plastic bag set in a shallow dish. Add 1/2 cup of the Tare Sauce. Seal bag; turn to coat meat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 12 hours, turning bag occasionally. Cover and chill the remaining Tare Sauce until needed.

2. Meanwhile, for aïoli, in a medium skillet heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onion. Cook, covered, for 13 to 15 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Cook, uncovered, over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until onion is golden, stirring frequently. Transfer to a small bowl; cool. Stir in mayonnaise, lime juice, 1 tablespoon parsley, cheese, and pepper. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

3. Drain meat, discarding marinade. On eight 10- to 12-inch skewers** thread meat accordion-style, leaving 1/4 inch between pieces.

4. Place asparagus in a shallow dish. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the remaining Tare sauce and the vegetable oil; toss to coat.*

5. On a charcoal hibachi, place asparagus on the rack of the uncovered grill perpendicular to wires of rack directly over medium coals. Grill about 7 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender, turning occasionally. Remove from grill; cover to keep warm. Place meat skewers on grill rack. Grill for 5 to 6 minutes or until meat is slightly pink in center, turning and brushing once with the remaining Tare Sauce halfway through grilling.

6. Sprinkle meat, asparagus, and aïoli with additional parsley and sesame seeds. Serve meat and asparagus with aïoli.

Tare Sauce

1. In a small saucepan combine broth, wine, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic, fish sauce, and pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes or until reduced to 1 cup; cool. Strain sauce through a fine-mesh sieve; discard solids. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

*Tip:

If you have thick asparagus, cut each spear into thirds and thread the pieces horizontally onto sets of two parallel skewers.

**Tip:

If using wooden skewers, soak in water for at least 30 minutes; drain before using.

Tip:

If you like, you may omit the Tare Sauce. If you do, omit the marinating step as well and season the food with salt and ground black pepper.