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Eggs and asparagus go well together, particularly when you use the eggs to make a Hollandaise sauce. As local asparagus is now readily available, try using fresh free-range eggs to create this sauce, which takes no time at all to make. Indeed, it can be ready as you remove the asparagus from the simmering water.

YOU WILL NEED: One bunch of freshly harvested asparagus Juice from half a lemon Three tbspns dry white wine One bay leaf Six whole peppercorns One tbspn cold water Three free-range egg yolks - beaten 6oz (175g) butter - melted One tbspn fresh parsley or chervil - chopped fine Salt and freshly ground black peppercorns to season.

METHOD: First prepare the asparagus by cutting off the woody ends and washing the spears under cold running water.

Place a large frying pan of salted water to heat so that the asparagus can be cooking while the sauce is being prepared. When the water boils, place the asparagus into the pan, lower the heat and cook gently for about six minutes with a lid on.

For the sauce, put the lemon juice, wine, bay leaf and peppercorns in a small pan, place over high heat and allow to boil until the mix is reduced to just one tablespoon.

Strain the reduced liquid into the food processor, stir in the cold water and egg yolks and zap on high speed for three minutes, by which time the mix will have become frothy.

Leave the processor running on low and gently feed the melted butter on to the eggs until the mix has begun to thicken. Stop the machine, taste, and adjust seasoning, add the fresh parsley or chervil, give it another second or two in the processor and you are finished.

Spoon the asparagus from the pan on to kitchen paper to drain. Plate up the asparagus, with a little sauce. Pour the rest of the sauce into a jug so that it can be poured on as needed.

3:04pm Wednesday 7th May 2008

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