Hollandaise Sauce is possibly the most finicky of sauces to make but, poured over the freshest of asparagus, well worth the hassle.

Ingredients: 1/2 lb of unsalted butter, 3 egg yolkes, 1/2 oz cold water, 3/4 oz of freshly squeezed lemon juice, salt and cayenne pepper to taste.

Methodology:clarify butter, beat egg yolkes until creamy combine with water and lemon juice in a 'bain marie' (bowl over pot with boiling water works better than double boiler; easier to stir because of the bowls rounded bottom). Slowly add butter while constantly stirring with a wisk. If sauce thickens too much add few drops of water or lemon juice. Add salt and cayenne pepper to taste.

Tips: It's important to remember to work with warm rather then hot butter as the chances of curdling will be less. If per chance the sauce does get the curdled look no reason to panic just gently wisk in another egg yolk.

Health risk DO NOT KEEP hollondaise sauce warm for more then 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Common uses:

• Poured over a new spring crop of blanched asparagus. Hmmm good.
• Also great over Brussle sprouts. Especially fresh from the garden, just after the first light frost hit them.
• Eggs Benedict is maybe the most famous use of hollondaise sauce. Place poached egg ontop of lightly toasted english muffin add a few spears of asparagus pour sauce over, sprinkle with some extra cayenne pepper. Dinner served.

Some Creative Dishes:

• Casserole:Place blanched broccoli and cauliflower in a oven safe dish, Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with sauce, sprinkle with 1/4cup of grated old cheddar cheese & 1oz of breadcrumbs. Place on broil only until cheese melts 2-3 minutes. Serve immediatelly; perfect with a pork or beef roast.
• Pasta Casserole:Cook Rotini or Fussili noodles al-dente. Slice very thinly (using a mandoline slicer or food proccesor) 2 carrots, 2 stalks of cellery and 2 small zucchini. Add a medium chopped onions. In a pan with small amount of olive oil stir fry veggies until soft. Combine veggies with noodles. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of shredded assiago cheese and 2 tablespoons of bacon bits. Salt and pepper to taste. Place under broil until cheese melts slightly 3-4 minutes. Remove from oven let stand 5 minutes cover with generous amount of sauce. Serve with a fresh garden or spinach salad.
• Green Bean Side Dish:Fine string cut green beans, one medium red bell pepper finely chopped, 1 medium vidalia onion finely chopped. Blanch green beans. Meanwhile caramelize onion in a small amount of olive oil. Add blanched beans and red pepper keep over heat only until red pepper is soft. Salt and black pepper to taste. Pour hollondaise sauce over veggies and serve immediately. Nice as a side with a steak or pork chop. (my favorite)
• My brother-in-laws Lebanese roots show through in this next dish. (As I don't like Ocra not my fave) Blanch ocra in water with some lemon juice. Carmelize 2 large chopped onions in a little olive oil. In oven safe dish layer slightly browned and crumbled pita bread (excellent way of using up left over not so fresh pita bread), strained ocra, caramelized onion, 2 cloves of crushed garlic. Sprinkle with sumac spice (available at all Middle Eastern Stores) and allspice. Salt and pepper to taste. Dribble or spritz a bit of olive oil between layers. Place in 400 degree Farenheit oven for about 10 -12 minutes. The Lebanese way of making the sauce is to add a small amount of plain yogurt. Pour sauce over casserole and sprinkle with roasted sesame seed. Serve immediately great with lamb or mutton.

Lighter version of sauce:Try replacing the butter with 1/2 cup + one teaspoon of olive oil. Chances of it curdling are slightly higher but in that case add another egg yolk and a small teaspoon of plain yogurt.

Enjoy.