Butter Roasted Asparagus, Poached Egg & Wild Garlic Hollandaise

Make the reduction ahead of time by adding all the ingredients to a pan and simmering until reduced by half. This can be kept in a sealed container for up to 3 months.

To make the hollandaise, warm the clarified butter gently in a pan. Place the egg yolks, 2tbsp reduction and a pinch of salt in a bain marie (a heat-proof bowl set over barely simmering water). Whisk continuously until the mixture thickens to the ribbon stage (when the mixture resembles ribbons when falling off the whisk). Remove from the heat and slowly pour in the warmed melted butter, stopping every now and again to fully incorporate the melted butter. If the mixture gets too thick, loosen with a little warm water. Once all the butter is added you should have a rich, voluminous hollandaise. Finely shred the wild garlic and stir through. Check the seasoning and add a little lemon juice if needed.  Keep to one side, covered, in a warm place as the sauce is tricky to reheat once cool.

Heat a wide-based pan over a medium heat and add the butter along with a tablespoon of water, the asparagus and a good pinch of salt. Cook gently, shaking the pan every so often until the water evaporates and the asparagus starts to fry a little but remains tender.

Meanwhile, poach the eggs by bringing a pan of water to the boil and adding a good splash of vinegar. Turn down to a simmer and carefully slide in the eggs. Place a lid on the pan, remove from the heat and leave to cook for 4 minutes.

Place the cooked asparagus spears on to a plate with the drained poached eggs alongside. Spoon over the hollandaise and sprinkle over a little cayenne if you like before enjoying.