English asparagus

New season English asparagus with blood orange hollandaise (Sauce maltaise) (Serves four)

Ingredients

32 spears of peeled English asparagus

For the sauce

4 blood oranges

Juice of a lemon

1tbs white wine

1tbs white wine vinegar

4 egg yolks

80ml water

salt and pepper

200g melted butter

For garnish

Candied peel

Green leaf salad

Method

Remove the zest from the oranges and cut into fine julienne. Blanch in boiling water. Refresh, then cook with a little sugar and water until candied.

Segment the oranges and squeeze any remaining juice out of the orange core. Put the orange and lemon juice, white wine and white vinegar into a shallow pan and reduce by two-thirds.

Add the egg yolks and 80ml of water, and then beat the mixture over a low heat until it forms a light, creamy sabayon. Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the melted butter.

Add the zest and orange segments. The sauce is now ready to serve.

Cook the asparagus in rapidly boiling salted water for two or three minutes.

When cooked, roll in seasoned butter, place on a warm serving plate, spoon the sauce over the asparagus and garnish with candied peel. Serve with a green salad.

Recipe by Mark Prescott