INGREDIENTS

24 medium- thick asparagus spears
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Salt
8 large farm-fresh eggs
Splash of white wine vinegar
4 English muffins split and toasted
4 1/2 ounces Brie cheese cut into thin strips
Hollandaise Sauce
Freshly cracked black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Cut off and discard the woody ends from the asparagus and boil the spears for 5 minutes, or until fork- tender but still firm. Drain, transfer to a dish, and sprinkle the lemon juice on top.

Heat a wide 3-quart saucepan of water over medium heat and add a pinch of salt. Poach the eggs.

Place the English muffins on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Top each muffins half with 3 asparagus spears and 2 slices of Brie. Bake for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.

Top each muffins half with a poached egg and 1 tablespoon of the Hollandaise sauce and season with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

SERVES: 4

CREDITS: Eat Delicious/Dennis Prescott

Hollandaise

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
3 tablespoons cold water
1/4 teaspoon salt
White pepper to taste
3 large egg yolks
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces and softened
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon cayenne

DIRECTIONS:

Boil vinegar, 2 tablespoons water, salt, and white pepper in a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan until reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Remove from heat and stir in remaining tablespoon water.

Whisk in yolks, then cook over very low heat, whisking constantly, until thickened (be careful not to scramble yolks), about 1 minute. Whisk in butter 1 piece at a time, lifting pan occasionally to cool sauce and adding each piece before previous one is completely melted.