¼cupof fresh lemon juiceuse less lemon juice if you don't want it too tart
2 ½sticks of buttermelted (1 1/4 cups)
½tspsalt
Scant pinch of cayenne
Asparagus:
1large bunch of asparaguscleaned and trimmed of the ends
Instructions
Make the hollandaise sauce by whisking the egg yolks and lemon juice together in a bowl until the mixture is thoroughly mixed.
Place the bowl over a saucepan containing simmering water. The water should NOT touch the bottom of the bowl. Continue to whisk the eggs. Be careful not to let the eggs get too hot or they will scramble.
Slowly pour in the melted butter and continue to whisk until the sauce is thick. Remove from heat and whisk in the salt and cayenne.
Cover and place in a warm spot until ready to use for the asparagus. If the sauce gets too thick, whisk in a few drops of warm water before serving.
Note: Omit the salt if you use salted butter
Blanche the asparagus by heating a large pot of well-salted water over high heat until boiling. Clean and trim the asparagus of the woody ends.
Add the asparagus to the boiling water and cook for 1 1/2 minutes for thin asparagus and 2 minutes for thick.
Remove from boiling water and plunge directly into a bowl of ice water immediately to stop the cooking process.