Steamed white asparagus with hollandaise sauce

As soon as you bring these steamed white asparagus with hollandaise sauce to the table, everyone will be impressed. Both because of how beautiful they look and how delicious they taste. Serving asparagus with hollandaise sauce is always a winning choice, and if you also add hard-boiled eggs and ham, this recipe becomes a simple yet complete and, above all, delicious dish.

Hollandaise sauce, one of the classics of French cuisine, is a sauce prepared over a bain-marie by emulsifying egg yolks with butter and an acidic ingredient, usually lemon juice. It is perfect for serving with white asparagus because it enhances its flavour, while its creamy texture contrasts beautifully with the asparagus’ delicate firmness.

I encourage you to prepare these steamed white asparagus with hollandaise sauce. A perfect recipe to enjoy a seasonal ingredient. Although asparagus can be found preserved all year round, fresh asparagus is far more aromatic, so head to the market and get some!

Ingredients

• 1 bunch of white asparagus
• 4 eggs
• Serrano ham, thinly sliced

Ingredients for the hollandaise sauce

• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons of water
• 100 g clarified butter
• Salt to taste
• Lemon juice (to taste)

Method

Preparing the asparagus and hard-boiled eggs

1. Heat water in your 24 cm 1826 Cristel stainless steel tall saucepan.
2. Wash the asparagus, peel it and trim the ends.
3. Once the water is boiling, place the asparagus and eggs in the Cristel glass steamer and place the steamer over the saucepan. Cover the steamer basket and cook for about 10 minutes.
4. Once the cooking time is over, carefully remove the steamer and allow the asparagus to drain well. Cool the eggs quickly, peel them and set aside.

Preparing the hollandaise sauce

1. Heat water in the Castel'Pro Cristel 5-Ply stainless steel saucepan.
2. Place a bowl over the saucepan and whisk the egg yolks over a bain-marie.
3. Gradually pour in the clarified butter in a thin stream, whisking continuously until the sauce becomes creamy.
4. Add salt and a splash of lemon juice (to taste).

Serving

1. Arrange the asparagus on a serving platter or large plate.
2. Grate the hard-boiled eggs over the top and cover with hollandaise sauce.
3. Add a few slices of Serrano ham and garnish with a little chopped chives before serving.