Asparagus with Various Sauces

Ingredients

• 2 kg white asparagus
• Salt
• 2 EL Butter
• 1 TL sugar
• 800 g new potatoes
• 250 g ham hocks
• 100 g butter
• 1 EL chopped parsley
• 250 g butter
• 2 egg yolks
• 4 EL dry white wine
• 2 EL lemon juice
• Salt
• white pepper (from the mill)
• 0.5 bunch basil (finely chopped)
• 125 g butter
• 2 EL sharp mustard
• 150 g whipping cream
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• tomato pieces (for garnish)
• spring onion rings (for garnish)
• 2 red bell peppers
• 2 Tomatoes
• 1 onion
• 1 EL olive oil
• 150 ml asparagus broth
• 1 EL Crème fraîche
• Salt
• Pepper
• 200 g green frozen peas
• 250 ml vegetable stock
• 1 onion
• 1 TL butter
• 5 EL whipping cream
• Salt
• pepper (from the mill)
• 1 pinch sugar
• mint (for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Peel asparagus thoroughly, trim ends and bundle into 4 bundles.

2. 2.

   Wash asparagus skins, then cook in 2 L water with salt and sugar for about 20 minutes, drain, reserve cooking broth, discard asparagus scraps.

3. 3.

   Simultaneously boil peeled potatoes in salted water.

4. 4.

   Bring reserved broth to a boil, add 2 EL butter and cook asparagus for about 15-18 minutes.

5. 5.

   Drain potatoes, remove asparagus from broth with a slotted spoon, let drain, arrange on a platter with potatoes and ham, remove kitchen twine, pour melted butter over, sprinkle parsley, and serve with four sauces:

6. 6.

   For Hollandaise melt butter and skim foam. Whisk egg yolks and wine in a metal bowl over a hot water bath until frothy, then add butter first dropwise, then in a thin stream while constantly stirring until a smooth sauce forms. The egg mixture must not curdle. Season with lemon juice, salt, pepper, and stir in basil.

7. 7.

   Melt butter with mustard while whisking slowly in a small pot, fold in cream until a creamy sauce forms, season with cayenne pepper, garnish with tomato pieces and spring onion rings.

8. 8.

   Blanch tomatoes, cool, peel skin, halve and core. Halve peppers, remove seeds, wash, roughly chop. Dice onion finely. Heat olive oil and sauté vegetables, add asparagus broth, cook for 8 minutes. Blend in a mixer, season with crème fraîche, salt, pepper, lemon juice.

9. 9.

   Peel onion, finely chop and sauté in hot butter until translucent, add peas, briefly sauté, pour in stock, simmer for 10 minutes, then blend, strain through sieve, stir in cream, season with salt, pepper, sugar, and serve garnished with mint.