Asparagus: king of spring

Hollandaise Sauce
Serve warm with steamed or roasted asparagus. This sauce is also delicious served with broccoli, or poached fish, particularly salmon.

Serves 4

1 tbsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice
2 free-range egg yolks
115-140g slightly salted butter, softened and cut into small cubes

1. Take a double boiler or bain-marie and heat some water in the bottom section. You must keep the water well below the boil and make sure that it doesn’t actually touch the base of whatever contains the sauce, or it might curdle.
2. In the bowl or pan that is to go over the water, beat the vinegar or lemon juice with the egg yolks. Set this mixture over the hot water and, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon, add the cubes of butter one at time, letting each one melt before you add the next.
3. Keep scraping the egg down from the sides of the pan or bowl. If the sauce shows any signs of thickening too fast or curdling, remove the bowl or pan immediately from over the hot water, stirring gently all the time. If the sauce refuses to thicken, turn up the heat a little.
4. If you find the sauce too salty, add a small amount of unsalted butter. Hollandaise should be smooth and creamy in texture. If it is too thick, add a few drops of cold water or creamy top of the milk and stir gently to mix.

Asparagus Hollandaise Pancakes
Grilled Asparagus with Lemon Butter