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Vegetarian, European

White asparagus with hollandaise sauce and new potatoes

White asparagus with hollandaise sauce is a spring dish for 4 people, ready in 50 minutes, medium difficulty, around €4.80 per person. The key to success is cooking the sauce over gentle bain marie heat so the egg yolks turn foamy without scrambling.

Tonight it's white asparagus season, just like in Germany, tender spears under a warm hollandaise sauce, with new potatoes on the side.

White asparagus with hollandaise sauce and new potatoes
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€4.80
Calories per person
460 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Spring

White asparagus has a mild, slightly bitter edge that softens under a warm hollandaise sauce, rich with butter and egg yolks. The tender bite of well peeled asparagus pairs with the gentle bite of new potatoes, boiled in their skins and tossed with parsley. It tastes like spring, light looking but generous with butter, the way German and Belgian tables celebrate white asparagus season.

This is a dish for a quiet Sunday or a meal where you have a bit of time, since hollandaise sauce needs your full attention while you whisk it together. It works well for a grown up lunch, as a generous starter or a vegetarian main, though it's less of a hit with young kids given the distinct taste of white asparagus and the buttery sauce.

The ingredients

4 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • White asparagus 1.5 kg
  • New potatoes 900 g
  • Lemon 1
  • Parsley 3 sprigs

Dairy

  • Butter 200 g
  • Egg yolks 3

Pantry

  • Sugaroften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Coarse saltoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Eggs, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Peel the asparagus, removing all the skin, trim the ends, and tie them into bundles. 10 min

    Save the peelings, they flavor the cooking water.

  2. Cook the asparagus in boiling water with the coarse salt, sugar, a knob of butter, and a splash of lemon juice. 15 min

    They're done when a knife tip slides through with no resistance.

  3. Cook the new potatoes in their skins in salted water. 20 min

    A knife should slide in effortlessly.

  4. Melt the butter gently, then whisk the yolks with two spoonfuls of water over a bain marie until foamy, and pour in the melted butter in a thin stream. 8 min

    Keep the bain marie at a bare simmer, if the water boils, the eggs will scramble.

  5. Season the sauce with lemon, salt, and pepper, then spoon it over the drained asparagus, with the parsley potatoes on the side.

    If the sauce splits, whisk in a spoonful of hot water.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick asparagus with tight, closed tips and smooth, pearly skin, that's how you know it's fresh.
  • Make the hollandaise right before serving, it doesn't wait around and loses its foamy texture as it cools.
  • Save the asparagus cooking water, a splash can loosen the sauce if it thickens too much while you wait to serve.

The variations

  • Swap the white asparagus for green, it cooks faster and doesn't need full peeling.
  • For a lighter version, skip the hollandaise and dress the asparagus with olive oil and a soft boiled egg instead.
  • To save time, use frozen baby potatoes that are ready to cook instead of fresh new potatoes.

What to serve it with

  • Thinly sliced ham
  • Grilled country bread
  • A light dry white wine

Storage

Asparagus and potatoes keep for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container. Hollandaise sauce doesn't keep and can't be frozen, make it fresh the same day, right before serving.

Questions about this dish

Why did my hollandaise sauce break?

The bain marie was too hot and the yolks cooked too fast. Take it off the heat, whisk in a spoonful of cold water, and it usually comes back together.

Can you make hollandaise sauce ahead of time?

It turns out best made at the last minute, since it loses its texture as it cools. You can keep it warm for 15 to 20 minutes in a bowl set over hot water, off the heat.

Do you really need to peel white asparagus completely?

Yes, unlike green asparagus its skin is fibrous and bitter. Incomplete peeling leaves you with stringy, tough bites.

Can you use pasteurized egg yolks instead of raw ones?

Yes, and it's actually the safer choice since the sauce doesn't fully cook. The taste and result stay the same.

How long does it take to make white asparagus with hollandaise sauce and new potatoes?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in white asparagus with hollandaise sauce and new potatoes?

About 460 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does white asparagus with hollandaise sauce and new potatoes cost?

About €4.80 per serving, or €19.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains eggs, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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