Traditional White Asparagus Recipe with Fool-Proof Hollandaise, Ham and Potatoes
If you're celebrating Spargelzeit the German way, this is THE dish to make! It’s one of those classic spring meals I grew up with in Germany. Buttery white asparagus meets tender boiled potatoes, a few slices of smoked ham, and the creamiest (super easy!) hollandaise sauce poured right over top. It’s simple, but it feels like such a treat!This recipe serves 2, but you can easily scale it for a crowd (trust me, you’ll want to - plus invite some friends to help you peel!).Check out my white asparagus roundup post for even more recipe inspiration!
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 20 min
- Yield
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 450 grams white asparagus (see the blog post for asparagus peeling tips)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (from about ½ lemon)
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 15 grams butter
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (from about ½ lemon)
- 1 pinch salt
- 115 grams butter (melted and kept warm (about 145°F / 63°C))
- Cayenne pepper (to taste)
- Mustard powder (to taste, or use some Dijon mustard)
- 1 kilogram Yukon Gold potatoes (or other all-purpose or waxy potatoes)
- 250 grams cooked, smoked ham
- Fresh herbs for garnish (optional. I like using parsley, chives and/or dill)
Instructions
- 1
Prep the asparagus. Wash and peel the white asparagus generously, starting about ½ inch (1 cm) below the tip and peeling all the way down to the base. Feel around each spear to check for any woody parts.If it feels tough, keep peeling until smooth. Then trim off the very bottom (also woody), about ½ inch or more depending on freshness.
- 2
Start the potatoes. Peel your potatoes and cut them into evenly sized pieces. If they’re small, you can leave them whole. Place them in a pot, cover with water (about 1 inch above the potatoes), salt generously (like pasta water!), and bring to a boil.
- 3
Cook the asparagus. Bring a second large pot of water to a boil and add the sugar, salt, lemon juice, and butter. Once boiling, gently add the peeled asparagus. Cook for 10–15 minutes, or until a sharp knife slides through easily.
- 4
Make the hollandaise. In a food processor, blend together the egg yolks, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt until smooth and slightly frothy (about 1 minute).With the motor running, slowly drizzle in your hot butter using the drip hole in the lid. Go slow to help it emulsify! This should take around 2 minutes.Season with a pinch of cayenne, mustard powder, and more salt to taste.
- 5
Plate it. Once the asparagus and potatoes are done, use a slotted spoon or skimmer to remove the asparagus. No need to rinse because that buttery, lemony cooking water because you don't want to rinse off the flavor of the cooking water.Arrange half a pound of asparagus on each plate. Add the potatoes to one side. I like to toss mine with fresh herbs like parsley and chives, and your sliced ham to the other.Spoon the hollandaise generously over the asparagus and garnish with more herbs if you’d like.