Steamed Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 bunch of asparagus
• 10 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of cayenne

Directions

1. Trim the asparagus by snapping off the woody bottoms with your hands. Bend each spear close to the base, and it should give way right at the point where the tender part begins.
2. For a prettier plate, take a vegetable peeler and shave away a very thin strip of the outside from the lower 2 to 3 inches of each asparagus spear.
3. Set up a large, shallow pan that has a lid with 1/2 inch of water and a steamer rack. For the Hollandaise sauce, melt the butter in a small pot. Add the egg yolks, lemon juice, salt and cayenne to a blender.
4. Run the blender for 20-30 seconds on medium to medium high speed, until the egg mixture looks paler.
5. Reduce the blender to its lowest speed. With the motor running, pour in the hot melted butter in a slow, steady stream. Once all the butter has gone in, blend for a few seconds more.
6. Taste the sauce, then adjust with more salt or lemon juice if it needs it. Set it somewhere warm while you cook the asparagus.
7. Bring the water in the steaming pan to a boil. Arrange the asparagus on the rack, then cover the pan.
8. Steam for 3 to 5 minutes, just until the spears are tender but still have a little snap, not soft and floppy. Thicker spears will need the longer end of the time.
9. To serve, arrange the asparagus on a plate and spoon the Hollandaise sauce over the top.