Asparagus is one of those veggies that announces the start of spring and is so often the staple green for an Easter Meal. If asparagus is not your thing I promise the answer is hollandaise! Like a kid that won't eat steak without ketchup I won't really eat asparagus without hollandaise. So what is it? Or should we say, "qu'est-ce que c'est"? Hollandaise is a traditional French sauce that is an emulsion of butter, egg and lemon juice. Traditionally it's laborious and hard. With my recipe, however, it's oh so fast using a food processor or a blender.
If you are in a huge hurry and need a sauce to make the kiddos or your father-in-law who don't eat broccoli or asparagus I've also come up with my Southern Hollandaise that is basically Duke Mayonnaise, mustard and lemon juice. Ta da! You can make even the pickiest eater lap up their greens.
My guest and follower Donnell Millwood was invited to be my assistant for this vlog. Take a look as we have fun learning easy ways to make this amazing cornerstone of French Cuisine.
How to Prepare Asparagus
Some chefs say to cut off the woody part of the bottom of the stem by gently bending the stalk and seeing where it breaks. I simply cut off the bottom quarter of the stems and dispose of them in the compost.
How you cook them is up to you. Here are my favorite ways...
Grill with a touch of olive oil, salt and pepper until they are bright green and have dark grill marks.
Oven Roast at 425º with olive oil, salt and pepper on a cookie sheet. Just be careful not to burn them.
For Salads and Hors d'oeuvre: Blanch in boiling water until the vegetable turns bright green. Then shock them in a bowl of ice water.
Boots and Bow Ties Fast Blender Hollandaise
Ingredients
1 Stick - 3/4 stick Unsalted Butter (I use Kerrigold)
Adjust the amount of butter for how thick you like your sauce.
3 Large Eggs at Room Temperature
The Juice of Whole Lemon (use a half if you like less acid and lemon)
Dash of Chipotle Pepper
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Method
Crack three eggs into a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Turn the processor on for a few seconds to allow the eggs to become frothy. Ideally they should double in size.
Heat butter in a small sauce pan until bubbling. At this point you can skim off the milk solids if you want. I usually don't.
With the processor running, gently pour the hot butter into the eggs in a steady stream. Then, add lemon juice.
Turn the processor off. Add chipotle, salt and pepper. Pulse the sauce and taste to adjust seasoning.
Boots and Bow Ties Quick Southern Hollandaise
Ingredients
Mix in a 3/1 ratio of Mayo to Mustard
3 TablespoonDukes Mayonaise
1 Tablespoon Whole Grain Dijon Mustard (I use Maille)
1/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
Dash of Chipotle Pepper
Salt and Pepper to Taste
The Juice of Half a Lemon (Adjust the thickness with the lemon juice)
Method
Combine, mayonaise, mustard, garlic powder, chipotle, salt, and pepper in a non-reactive bowl. Whisk together. Adjust the thickness of the sauce with the juice of the lemon. Taste and adjust seasoning to taste.
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