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.
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.