White Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce

Instructions:

Wash the asparagus thoroughly and cut off the woody ends (about .5”-1”) from each spear. Next use a vegetable peeler to peel the tough outer skin. You can lay each spear flat and run the peeler blade down the length of the spear starting at about 1.5” from the top.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt, sugar, and lemon juice to the boiling water. Next, add the bundle of asparagus and cook for about 10-15 minutes or until the asparagus is tender enough to pierce with a fork. Once done, drain the water and remove the asparagus. Pat the asparagus dry and place on a serving dish.

To make the hollandaise sauce, first melt the butter in a small saucepan. In a medium bowl, beat together the egg yolks, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Next, add a teaspoon of the melted butter to the egg mixture and beat with a whisk. (gradually adding the hot butter to the mixture will keep it from curdling). Continue adding the melted butter to the egg mixture (slowly) and continue to whisk the mixture while doing so.

Next, add the egg mixture to the saucepan and heat on low for about 15 seconds while still whisking.  If your hollandaise sauce isn’t your desired thickness, you can return to the heat and continue cooking it in five second increments. Just remember to continue whisking!  You can also add a few drops of warm water to achieve the desired consistency.

Pour warm sauce over the cooked white asparagus and serve at once. Garnish with fresh parsley. White asparagus pairs well with boiled potatoes, cooked ham, and hard-boiled eggs.