This easy Hollandaise sauce recipe will take away all your fears for making the classic sauce. It always turns out, doesn't split, and is done in just a few minutes. Just whisk all the ingredients together over simmering water. It's creamy, rich, and tangy - perfect for spooning over Eggs Benedict, fish, steamed vegetables, or in the fantastic German pairing with white asparagus to celebrate spring.
Celebrate 'Spargelzeit'
In Germany, the middle of April signals the beginning of Spargelzeit, the beloved 'Asparagus Time'. It ends on the 24th of June and is probably the most important culinary season in the country's food calendar. Germans go mad for their beloved white asparagus every spring. The Germans and Swiss consume more white asparagus than any other nations in the world, eating more than 3 lbs (1.5kg) per capita per year. Germany produces over a 125,000 tonnes per year. That's a lot of asparagus!
White Asparagus
The white kind of asparagus is the same variety as green asparagus, just grown differently. It is especially labour intensive as it must be grown underground so that it doesn't develop any chlorophyll. We've been in Germany during asparagus season, and especially in the north, you see acres and acres of fields with long ridges of dirt mounded over the asparagus plants. The rows are covered in white plastic to prevent any sunlight reaching the plants. This produces the delicately flavoured white spears that Germans are so passionate about. During Spargelzeit (shpar'-gl-tsite) every market all over the country proudly features tables piled high with bundles upon bundles of the thick white spears.
White asparagus needs to be treated a little differently than green asparagus. The white variety must be peeled, as the outer skin is quite fibrous and can be bitter. It's best to peel it with a vegetable peeler. Lay the spears on a work surface and peel them starting about 1½ inches (3-4cm) from the top and pull the peeler downwards. The stalks are so crisp and delicate that they can easily break if you try to peel them in the air. Trim off 1 to 2 inches of the bottom of the stalk as it can also be tough.
The stalks are best when simmered in a small amount of water with butter or simply steamed until tender.
Asparagus is enjoyed in Germany in many different ways, but the most popular is the simplest. The tender spears are draped with a with coat of creamy rich hollandaise sauce, and then served with boiled potatoes and a slice of ham or a couple fried eggs.
Easy Hollandaise Sauce
The idea of making the classic French Hollandaise sauce can be very intimidating. This richly creamy, tangy, egg yolk and butter sauce is famous for easily 'splitting' and looking curdled. In the traditional method you need to melt the butter and whisk it into the heating egg yolks drop by drop to prevent it from splitting.
With the method I am showing you, you don't need to melt the butter at all. Just whisk the egg yolks with a bit of lemon juice until they're creamy, then plop in the diced butter all at once along with a bit of salt and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
You will need:
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup (117gms) cubed butter
- salt
- cayenne pepper
- white wine or water
Set the bowl onto a pot of barely simmering water and whisk it constantly. The butter melts at just the right rate as you whisk it so that you don't need to worry about adding it slowly. As it melts it emulsifies with the egg yolks to form a smooth and creamy sauce. Just don't stop whisking - that's the trick - or the eggs can get too hot.
This only takes a couple minutes and makes such a thick, rich Hollandaise sauce that you usually have to whisk in a little bit of white wine or water to thin it out to your desired consistency.
Now it's ready to pour in a thick, luscious puddle on top of the warm, cooked asparagus spears. Or you can make it a bit ahead and keep it warm for up to an hour before serving.
If you're lucky enough to find a few bundles of tender white asparagus at your local market or grocery store this spring, snap them up and celebrate the season like a German. It just might become your new culinary tradition, too!
Guten Appetit!
Another light and springy sauce that would taste great with asparagus is the one in this Fiddleheads with Creamy Butter Sauce. If you're looking for ways to celebrate the season with green asparagus, it's wonderful simpy roasted with garlic, or cut into a quinoa salad or potato salad. Asparagus makes a tasty addition to a quick 10-minute pasta with beef dish, or makes a lovely summer luncheon when served with egg salad and a hazelnut vinaigrette.
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Guten Appetit!
Easy Hollandaise Sauce with White Asparagus (Spargel mit Sauce Hollandaise)
Ingredients
for the Hollandaise Sauce
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ cup (113gms) unsalted butter, cubed room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- pinch of cayenne pepper or white pepper
- 1-2 tablespoons white wine or water
for the asparagus:
- 2 bundles (~1kg/2.2lbs) white asparagus (or green asparagus)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- water
- Hollandaise Sauce, recipe above
Instructions
to cook the asparagus:
- Peel the bottom ¾ of the white asparagus stalks with a vegetable peeler to get rid of the tough fibrous outer layer of each stalk - lay the stalks on a work surface and peel them starting about 1½-inches from the top and peel them downwards. (If using green asparagus, there's no need to peel it). Trim off the tough bottom of each stalk by about 1-2 inches (2-5cm).
- Place the trimmed asparagus stalks all facing the same way in the bottom of a large skillet. Add the butter pat, sprinkle with the salt and pepper, and add enough water to the skillet to come about halfway up the depth of the asparagus spears.
- Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the skillet and cook until the white asparagus is tender - about 10-15 minutes. Green asparagus can be cooked for less time until it is crisp-tender or cooked to your liking.
- Drain the asparagus and return it to the covered skillet to keep warm.
Prepare the Hollandaise Sauce:
- Add about 1 inch (2.5cm) water to a small pot/saucepan. Bring it to a simmer, then turn it down a notch to keep it just below a simmer.
- Choose a metal or glass bowl large enough to sit on top of the pot, with the bottom of the bowl partially inside the pot but not touching the water. Put the egg yolks and lemon juice into the bowl (set on the countertop). Whisk the yolks and lemon juice together until thickened (~2 minutes).
- Add the salt, cayenne, and butter cubes to the beaten yolks.
- Set a small cup with a few tablespoons of white wine or water in it beside the stove, ready in case you need it at the end.
- Set the bowl of yolks and butter over the pot of barely simmering water (to make a double boiler) and whisk constantly until the butter melts and the sauce is thickened to your liking. This will only take a minute or two - don't stop whisking. If the sauce gets too thick, quickly whisk in a little wine or water to thin it.
- Remove the bowl from the pot and set it on a work surface. Keep whisking for 30 seconds after it is removed. Whisk in a few more drops of wine or water, if needed to thin it out some more.
- You can keep the Hollandaise Sauce warm until serving time (for up to 1 hour) by placing the bowl back over the pot of hot water, turned to the lowest setting on your burner, just to keep the water hot but not simmering. Stir the sauce occasionally and add more liquid if it thickens too much.
- Serve the sauce warm. Leftover sauce will keep refrigerated in a covered container for 2-3 days. It can be gently reheated in a double boiler or spread cold onto hot vegetables to melt in their heat. Great on any cooked or steamed vegetables, or on cooked fish.
- Makes about 1 cup of Hollandaise sauce.
Notes
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Guten Appetit!
Want to receive new Kitchen Frau recipes directly to your email as soon as they're posted? Sign up here and you’ll get bits of news updates on what's happening in my kitchen and garden, plus a handy and useful kitchen tip along with each recipe, too. (No spam ever.)
If you like my recipes, follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook. You’d make my day. 😊
Guten Appetit!
Gary M
A very easy dish to make. Step-by-step instructions are easily laid out. Done in no time and the taste was amazing.
Margaret
Thanks so much for the feedback, Gary. I'm really glad you liked it. 😍 Brings back memories of Germany!