Roasted Asparagus with Hollandaise
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Roasted asparagus with hollandaise pairs hot-roasted spears with blender-made hollandaise sauce. The French bistro classic done with no double boiler required.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
6 minCOOK
10 minREADY
26 minRoasted asparagus with hollandaise is the spring starter that looks fancy but takes less than 15 minutes from start to finish. Asparagus spears get tossed with olive oil and salt, then roasted at high heat until the tips go slightly crisp and the stems turn tender with a few golden brown spots.
The hollandaise is made the shortcut way, in a blender instead of whisking over a bain-marie. A single egg yolk goes into the blender with lemon juice and a pinch of cayenne, and with the blades running you slowly stream in melted butter. The heat from the hot butter cooks the yolk just enough to build a thick, emulsified sauce without any risk of scrambling. Lukewarm water thins it if it tightens up. Spoon over the roasted asparagus and crack fresh pepper on top.
Chef Tips
- Snap or trim the woody ends off the asparagus. Tough ends stay fibrous no matter how long they roast.
- Roast at 450°F (230°C), not lower. High heat caramelizes the tips; lower temperatures just steam the spears.
- Stream the melted butter slowly and steadily into the running blender. Too fast and the emulsion breaks, leaving you with greasy yolk soup.
- If the sauce needs holding, set it over hot (not simmering) water. Boiling water underneath will scramble the yolks from below.
Variations
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 450℉ (230℃).
Trim the woody ends from the asparagus.
Spread the spears in a single layer in a shallow roasting pan baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and roll to coat thoroughly.
Roast the asparagus until lightly browned and tender, about 10 minutes, giving the pan a good shake about halfway through.
Meanwhile, put the egg yolk, lemon juice, and cayenne in a blender.
Pulse a couple times to combine.
Put the butter in a small microwave proof bowl and heat in a microwave until just melted.
With the blender running, gradually add the melted butter into the egg to make a smooth frothy sauce.
If the sauce is really thick blend in a teaspoon of lukewarm water to loosen it up.
Season with the salt and serve immediately or keep warm in a small heat-proof bowl set over hot (but not simmering) water until ready to serve.
Spread the roasted asparagus on a serving platter.
Grind a generous amount of pepper over the top.
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