• Cooking Time: 20-25
• Servings: 6–8
• Preparation Time: 10
• 2 lbs asparagus, fresh
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 sticks (½ lb) butter, in chunks
• ½ tsp sea salt, or to taste
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• Pinch white pepper (optional)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed or water
• ⅓ cup almonds

1. Snap the tough ends off the asparagus.
2. The ends may be discarded, or reserved to flavor a vegetable stock.
3. Steam asparagus until tender (not mushy) and drain. Asparagus should be a bright green rather than an olive color.
4. The length of cooking time depends on how young the asparagus shoots are when harvested, and their size.
5. Serve with the following Hollandaise sauce.
6. In a saucepan, beat egg yolks over low heat for about 5 minutes.
7. The eggs should become heated, but if the temperature nears a boil, the eggs will scramble.
8. If the mixture is not hot enough, the sauce may be too thin and is more likely to separate.
9. The sauce is ready when, with a stroke of the whisk, you will see the clean bottom of the pan.
10. On the lowest heat setting, add the chunks of butter, one at a time, and beating after each addition.
11. Stir in the salt, pepper, cayenne and lemon juice.
12. Pour sauce over asparagus and sprinkle with ⅓ cup blanched almonds.

This Hollandaise sauce is also good for making Eggs Benedict.