Grilled asparagus with pasilla chile crema

Snap the woody ends off the asparagus at their natural breaking point (or chop them off).

Spray the asparagus with oil, turning to coat evenly, and salt.

Grill five to ten minutes, turning frequently, until crispy and tender.

Saute the sliced white onion until softened and browned; add the chopped garlic and stir about a minute until fragrant.

Put half the onion mixture in a small bowl and half in a blender jar.

Stem and split the pasilla chilies, remove the seeds, and cut into quarter-inch strips.

Fry the strips in a touch of warm olive oil until they puff and lighten in color but before they smoke; overtoasting makes them bitter. Divide between the bowl and the blender.

Add the crema, about a tablespoon of water and a sprinkling of salt to the blender and blend as smooth as possible.

Season the bowl half with a splash of balsamic vinegar and a tiny bit of salt for a compote.

Plate the asparagus, pour the pasilla crema over and top with the compote.