Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   1 1/2  pounds        asparagus -- cleaned
     1/2  cup           olive oil
   2                    garlic cloves -- chopped fine
   1      medium        onion -- chopped
     1/4  cup           chopped fresh Italian parsley
   1      cup           chopped very-ripe tomatoes
     1/4  cup           dry white wine
                        freshly-ground black pepper -- to taste
                        salt -- to taste

Preparation:

Heat a 3-quart heavy stainless-steel or porcelain-lined stove-top casserole and add the olive oil. Sauté the garlic and onion until clear. Add the parsley and tomatoes and simmer for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tomatoes are very soft. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cut the cleaned asparagus into 1-inch pieces and add to the pot along with the white wine. Cook until done to your taste, which I hope will be a short time, just until tender and still a bit crunchy. Hint on cleaning asparagus: Hold the bottom end of the stem in one hand and gently bend the stalk with the other. The stalk will break where it is tender, thus giving you a piece of asparagus that is entirely edible. With a little practice you will know exactly where to break the vegetable. Save the broken-off ends for soups. Slice and add to soup stock, then drain and discard the coarse stalks before serving.