When asparagus is fresh I like it simply lathered with salted, clarified butter - delicious. Sauces are wonderful and the French have endless lists of them, usually based on Hollandaise - the sauce that has reduced many competent cooks to tears. If you are not too strict about using machines Hollandaise can be achieved with near perfect results in a food processor.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp water
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 stick/110g hot melted butter
Preparation:
Basic Hollandaise - Easy Method
- Place the egg yolks, lemon juice, water and salt into the food processor.
- Cover and blend at full speed for two minutes. With the machine still running SLOWLY, drop by drop add the hot butter.
- When two-thirds of the butter has been added the sauce should be thick and creamy. Continue adding the butter but not any of the milky, white residue given off from the butter.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning.
For delicious alternatives try:
Sauce MaltaiseMake as above replacing the water with orange juice. When the sauce is made, beat in by hand a further 3 tbsps of orange juice and the grated rind of an orange.
Sauce Mousseline
Whip 4 fl oz/125ml cream until thick then fold into the hollandaise. A rich and decadent alternative.
Hollandaise with Egg Whites
Beat three egg whites until stiff. Fold into the Hollandaise. This will lighten the sauce incredibly and make it go much further.
