Low Carb Asparagus Spears with Hollandaise Sauce

LOW CARB ASPARAGUS SPEARS WITH HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

Low Carb Asparagus Spears with Hollandaise Sauce. 3 g carbs.

What could be more keto than this combination? It’s a match made in heaven. You have a low carb vegetable with loads of fibre, and a rich, velvety smooth sauce that is one of the most famous of French cuisine.

Aaahhh…. You probably remember a recent post of mine, Bacon Wrapped Asparagus with Orange Butter, and you’re thinking THAT was a perfect keto side dish.



You’re right. Both are keto-perfect and equally scrummy. So why two asparagus posts so close to each other? I have not one, my dear friends, but three main reasons.

The first is that this is full-on asparagus season. Nothing beats freshly picked asparagus. Canned options? Eeww! No thanks. Fresh and in season? Yes, please.

The second is that asparagus is one of the most keto-friendly veggies, and with a huge amount of fibre as a bonus. So, it would be rude not to indulge when they’re available, wouldn’t you agree?Low Carb Asparagus Spears with Hollandaise Sauce

The third is that one option for cooking a vegetable is never enough. We all love variety, right? Keto life (or any other life for that matter) would be very boring otherwise. Plus, some people get sick of eating bacon with everything (these people – and I’m one – do exist!), so they might have skipped my Bacon Wrapped Asparagus, wishing for an alternative.

Low Carb Asparagus Spears with Hollandaise Sauce

How to Make Low Carb Asparagus Spears with Hollandaise Sauce

Buy the freshest asparagus. Leave the white variety – not as good. It should be vibrant green, with no browning on the tips. The more slender the spears, the more succulent. When the stalks are fat, they’re too fibrous to chew without getting your teeth flossed at the same time (unless you actually enjoy that).

A bit of bicarbonate of soda in the salted boiling water will help your cooked asparagus retain its vibrant colour.

The Hollandaise sauce always scares people. As does the dreaded bain-marie word. Indeed, anything from classic French cookery scares the heck out of people. But I swear to you, there’s no need to run a mile. I have a method that’s quick, simple and fail-proof. Nothing original, mind you, it’s just that I’ve made it countless times and it has never failed. I repeat: it has NEVER failed.Low Carb Asparagus Spears with Hollandaise Sauce

There may be alternative ‘fail proof’ methods out there, but I’m a firm believer of that wise aphorism: ‘if it ain’t broken don’t fix it’.  Follow the recipe exactly, don’t change anything, and you’ll create a great Hollandaise.

Enjoy!

LOW CARB ASPARAGUS SPEARS WITH HOLLANDAISE SAUCE
 
Author: 
Nutrition
  • Yield: 2
  • Serving: 1
  • Calories: 250
  • Fat: 23.5g
  • Net Carbs: 3g
  • Protein: 5g
Recipe type: Side Dishes
Cuisine: Keto. Low Carb. LCHF. Grain Free. Gluten Free.
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
A high-fat, French classic sauce over fibrous green veggies makes a great keto combination.
Ingredients
  • 250g tender asparagus spears (or 400g if you buy standard asparagus spears, as you'll be discarding the lower part of the stalks)
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 50g butter (cubed)
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar (ACV) (U.S. option HERE)
  • a sprinkle of fine Himalayan pink salt (U.S. option HERE)
  • a sprinkle of finely ground black pepper
Instructions
To prepare and cook the asparagus:
  1. if using tender asparagus spears (very thin and about 15-18cm long), cut 5cm (2 inches) below tips and keep separated.
  2. simmer stalk sections in salted water for 3 minutes, then add tips and cook for 2 further minutes; drain and divide between two serving plates.
  3. if using chunky, whole asparagus spears, remove the thick bottom section by holding each spear in your hands and bending towards the bottom until it snaps naturally; then proceed as for steps 1 and 2 above.
To make the Hollandaise sauce:
  1. hand-whisk the egg yolk, salt, pepper and ACV over a bain-marie (water bath) until pale and dense; make sure your mixing bowl doesn't touch the simmering water below it.
  2. add butter one cube at a time whilst whisking continuously; the sauce will get denser and more velvety-smooth as you keep adding butter; if it gets too thick for your liking, you can thin it with a little water.
  3. adjust seasoning to your taste and pour immediately over your plated asparagus.
Notes
Asparagus will retain its vibrant green colour if you add ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda to the boiling water.

Metric kitchen scales are an inexpensive yet invaluable gadget to enable accurate measurement of ingredients. Store them upright in a cupboard or over your worktop and they'll only take up a tiny bit of space. Click HERE for the ones I use. For U.S. option click HERE.

Enjoyed this post? Your feedback matters to me! Please leave me a comment. If you try this recipe, make my day and share a photo on social media with the hashtag #queenketo. Thank you! 🙂

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