Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce
Asparagus with Hollandaise sauce - tender asparagus with an easy brown butter Hollandaise sauce that’s made in a blender. An easy yet elegant side perfect for low carb diets.
Servings 4
Calories 248kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound asparagus, trimmed
- 1 tablespoon water
- salt and pepper to taste
Hollandaise Sauce
- 4 ounces salted butter
- 2 large egg yolks
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1-2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (or white vinegar)
- 1-2 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1-2 pinch white pepper
Instructions
Preparation:
- If the asparagus is medium to large in thickness, cut 1 inch off of the bottoms and lightly peel the stalks with a vegetable peeler. I start about ⅓ from the top and continue to the bottom of each spear. If the asparagus is thin, hold a spear towards the bottom and bend it until it snaps. Cut the remaining spears to the same length. Separate the eggs, reserving the whites for another use.
Asparagus:
- Place the asparagus in a microwave safe bowl and add 1 tablespoon of water. Cover with plastic wrap and cook at high power from 1 ½ - 2 ½ minutes depending on your microwave. Drain off the water and keep covered. Alternately, blanch the asparagus in boiling water until it is crisp tender, drain, and keep warm.
Blender Hollandaise
- Add the egg yolks, 1 tablespoon of water, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and the mustard to a blender. Place the lid on top and remove the middle piece. Place the butter in a medium to large frying pan and melt the butter over medium heat. Turn the heat up to medium high and gently swirl the pan every few moments. When the solids in the bottom of the pan just begin to turn brown, turn off the heat. Turn the blender on low and begin pouring the hot butter into the blender, leaving the brown solids behind in the pan.
- After the butter has been incorporated, add the cayenne pepper and white pepper and blend. Taste. Adjust seasoning with more acid, salt or pepper. Pour over the asparagus and serve immediately. Serves 4.
Notes
More butter, up to 2 ounces, can be added to the egg yolks if you prefer.
-The sauce can be thinned out with more water, if needed, and I have seen some recipes call for heavy cream.
-If you need to keep the sauce warm while cooking other dishes, it can be kept in a double boiler ( I use a bowl resting over a pot with about an inch of hot water in the bottom. I will periodically turn the heat between low and off to modulate the temperature.) for up to an hour. Make sure to whisk from time to time to prevent a skin from forming on the top and to prevent the sauce from getting too hot on the bottom of the bowl.
-Can be made ahead and refrigerated. Reheat over a water bath just like mentioned above, stirring every few minutes until warmed through. Thin with water if needed.
Nutrition Facts
Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce
Amount Per Serving
Calories 248
Calories from Fat 234
% Daily Value*
Fat 26g40%
Carbohydrates 3g1%
Fiber 1g4%
Protein 4g8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition
Calories: 248kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 26g | Fiber: 1g