Asparagus With French Orange Sauce

Asparagus boiled until tender but still crunchy or al dente and seasoned with a French orange sauce made with egg yolks, cold water, lemon juice, butter, orange rind, sea salt and cayenne pepper in this recipe adapted from “Around the World in 450 Recipes” by Sarah Ainley.



This makes a lovely easy appetizers or side dish to meats and fish. This also makes a light and nutritious healthy meals topped over rice, noodles, or pasta.

To prepare asparagus appetizer recipes for cooking, rinse well and pat dry. Trim off the bottom end of the asparagus opposite of the tips and snap off the hard parts. If the asparagus is mature and a bit stringy, you can peel off the stringy parts using a vegetable peeler until you get to the tender inner part. For the best flavor and texture, choose young asparagus spears that are bright green in color and have no signs of wilting. The asparagus should still be bright green in color, tender but with a nice snap when broken in two with your fingers. Its characteristic crunch is what makes is such a pleasure to it.

The tangy and creamy French orange sauce complements the rich and buttery flavor of asparagus perfectly. The base of the sauce is hollandaise, which is one of the most popular French sauces used to accompany fish, vegetables, and meat. To make the sauce, you need a bain-marie, water bath or double boiler. You can also improvise with a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Making the sauce requires care and a delicate touch. The egg yolks should not coagulate and cook through when placed over the heat or they will scramble and the sauce will be ruined. They should be heated and mixed just until all the ingredients for the sauce are well incorporated.

Ingredients
¾ cup unsalted butter
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon cold water
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Juice and grated rind of 1 orange
30 asparagus spears, tough bottoms removed
Sea salt
Cayenne pepper

Preparation
1. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Remove any foam from the surface and set aside.

2. Place a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of just simmering water. Add the egg yolks, water, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of the orange juice. Season with salt. Whisk constantly over low heat until the sauce begins thickening. Remove the bowl from the stove.

3. Whisk in the melted butter, a couple of drops at a time, leaving the milky solids in the bottom of the saucepan behind. The sauce should thicken. Add the orange rind and 2 to 4 tablespoons of orange juice. Season with salt and cayenne. Keep warm, stirring from time to time.

4. Fill a deep skillet with 2 in. of water. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Add the asparagus. Return to a boil. Simmer for 4 to 7 minutes, or until barely tender. Drain gently. Pat dry.

5. Place the asparagus on a platter and spoon some sauce over them. Serve immediately.