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I SHARED a bunch of freshly picked asparagus from Q Gardens, Milton Hill, with a friend recently and we enjoyed it with salmon fillets and a lemon Hollandaise sauce.

I was about to make the sauce as I always do with a whisk and a bowl suspended over a saucepan half-full of simmering water when she stopped me. She boasted it could be made far more easily using a food processor and took over the kitchen to show me how.

I must admit it really didn't take many minutes to make and tasted great. As asparagus and Hollandaise sauce go so well together, I thought I'd share her secret with you.

For four you will need: One bunch freshly harvested asparagus Four salmon fillets aprox 6oz (175g) One wine glass of dry white wine Salt and freshly ground black peppercorns to season For the Hollandaise: 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 Method: Set the oven to 220C/425F or gas mark seven. Place the salmon fillets in baking dish, splash a glass of white wine over them, season, cover with foil and place them in the oven for 15 minutes While they are cooking, prepare the asparagus by cutting off the woody ends, and place a frying pan of salted water to heat so that it can be cooked quickly when the sauce is made. Now begin making the sauce 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. Keep the sauce covered in a warm place while you cook the asparagus and remove the salmon fillets from the oven Place the asparagus in the boiling water, turn to simmer, place a lid over the pan and give that about six minutes. When done, spoon out carefully on to kitchen paper to drain, then begin plating up the salmon Pour a little Hollandaise sauce over the salmon and asparagus, pouring any that is left into a jug so that friends can help themselves to more when they need it.

8:04am Thursday 8th May 2008

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