Monica Galetti’s asparagus, poached egg and sriracha hollandaise

Method

1. For the hollandaise, put the vinegar, tarragon, crushed peppercorns and 50ml water in a saucepan over a medium heat, then slowly reduce to about 1 tbsp. Strain, then set aside to cool (discard the solids).
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over a low-medium heat, swirling until the yellow liquid has separated from the white dairy solids. Leave to cool slightly, then pour the yellow clarified butter into a jug, discarding the white solids.
3. Pour the cooled vinegar mixture into a heatproof bowl, then whisk in the sriracha and egg yolks. Put the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water) and cook, whisking constantly, for 5-8 minutes until pale and thickened. Remove from the heat, then slowly whisk in the warm clarified butter. Season with a squeeze of lemon juice and a little salt. Thin the consistency with 1-2tbsp hot water as needed, then keep warm over the pan of water off the heat, stirring occasionally, while you poach the eggs and prepare the asparagus.
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4. For the asparagus, bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Add the asparagus spears and cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain and refresh in the iced salted water. Drain, then set aside.
5. Put 1.5 litres water in a deep saucepan with the 1 tbsp vinegar and bring to a simmer. Crack 1-2 eggs into separate cups. Swirl the simmering water to create a vortex – this helps form the egg into a nice round shape. Drop 1 or 2 eggs into the vortex and cook for 2-3 minutes until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny. Remove with a slotted spoon. Repeat to cook the remaining eggs (see Make Ahead).
6. Put the asparagus on a baking tray. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place under the grill for 1 minute to warm through. Divide the asparagus among 4 plates, then top each plate with 2 poached eggs, a generous spoonful of the sriracha hollandaise and, if you like, a pinch of chilli flakes. I like to have toasted brioche on the side to mop up the sauce and runny egg yolks.