Asparagus with Poached Egg & Hollandaise
Silky hollandaise over tender asparagus and a soft poached egg, a simple elegant breakfast that melts together in every rich, buttery bite.
🍽️ Servings: 2
Hollandaise Sauce
Ingredients
- 20 g egg yolks
- 60 g clarified butter
- 5 g lemon juice
- 5 g water
- 1 g salt
Instructions
- Set a heatproof bowl over a gently simmering pot of water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
- Add the egg yolks, lemon juice, and water, then whisk constantly until the mixture becomes slightly thickened and pale.
- Slowly stream in the warm clarified butter while whisking continuously until the sauce becomes thick, smooth, and glossy.
- Remove from heat, then season with salt and keep warm.
Asparagus and Eggs
Ingredients
- 6 asparagus spears
- 1 eggs
- 2.5 g salt
- 2 tbsp hollandaise sauce
- 2 g chives
Instructions
- Trim the asparagus and cut off the tough ends, then blanch in salted boiling water for about 3 minutes until just tender and bright green.
- Crack each egg into a fine sieve to remove loose whites, then transfer into small bowls.
- Bring water to a gentle simmer, then carefully slide the eggs into the water and poach for about 3 minutes until the whites are set and the yolks remain soft.
- Remove the eggs and season lightly with salt.
- Serve the asparagus on a plate, top with the poached eggs, spoon over about 2 tablespoons of hollandaise sauce, then finish with finely chopped chives.
Tips & More Info
Why start the hollandaise over gentle steam instead of direct heat?
Indirect heat gives you full control over the yolks so they thicken slowly without scrambling. This controlled environment helps the emulsion form smoothly and prevents the sauce from turning grainy or separating.
How does gradual butter addition affect the sauce?
Adding butter slowly allows the fat to fully integrate with the yolk base instead of breaking the emulsion. This is what creates that glossy, velvety texture that clings beautifully to asparagus and eggs. Rushing this step is the main reason hollandaise fails.
Why strain the egg before poaching?
Passing the egg through a sieve removes loose, watery whites that would otherwise create wispy edges in the pot. This small step gives you a cleaner, more compact shape and a much more refined final presentation.