Asparagus is available year around, but springtime is when the stems are slim, and they taste tender when you serve them. My favorite topping is hollandaise sauce. I have been wondering about the origins of that sauce. It begins with the beautiful country of the Netherlands centuries ago. What I found seems to be speculation. But when the French Huguenots returned from their exile in Holland, they brought back the recipe. The sauce is largely considered French and they have taken a fancy to this emulsion of egg yolks, melted butter and lemon juice with seasonings of salt and pepper. I didn’t realize it, but hollandaise sauce is also considered one of the top 5 mother sauces in French cuisine. It is not only poured over steamed or roasted vegetables, but it is the key ingredient of eggs Benedict.
I am featuring two new recipes this month that pair well with a side dish of asparagus and hollandaise sauce. Check out the back stories for Easter Ham Dinner on Two Sheet Pans and Cornish Game Hens with Garlic and Thyme for more information! The two-sheet pan concept is such an easy way to recreate a scaled down version of dinner for a smaller crowd. Cornish game hens are individual servings of tasty small chickens that make everyone feel special.
