Green asparagus with cheese gratin and poached egg yolk

Ingredients

• 2 packs (4 pieces each)Aviko thyme and rosemary potato gratins
• 600 ggreen asparagus
• 125 gyoung Dutch farmhouse cheese
• 45 ml (3 tbsp)olive oil
• 200 gbutter
• 6egg yolks
• 10 ml (2 tsp)white wine vinegar
• 2 sprigsbasil
• to tastesalt
• to tasteblack pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the ingredients

   Preheat the oven to 220°C. Trim or snap off the woody ends of the asparagus, then grate the cheese.

2. 2

   Arrange the tray

   Place the gratins on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Scatter the cheese over them and arrange the asparagus alongside. Drizzle the asparagus with the olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. 3

   Roast until golden

   Bake the gratins and asparagus in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, until golden and cooked through.

4. 4

   Melt the butter

   Melt the butter in a small saucepan without letting it colour. Take the pan off the heat and leave the butter to cool for 5 minutes.

5. 5

   Poach four yolks

   Meanwhile, bring a shallow layer of water to the boil in a wide pan. Put one egg yolk at a time into a coffee cup and gently slide it into the hot water. Poach four yolks this way for 2–3 minutes, or until done to your liking. Lift them out carefully with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate.

6. 6

   Blend the hollandaise

   Put the remaining 2 egg yolks and the white wine vinegar in a tall measuring jug, then set in a stick blender. Pour in the melted butter and blend, slowly drawing the blender upwards, until the egg and butter mixture thickens into hollandaise. Add the basil sprigs and salt and pepper to taste, then blend briefly.

7. 7

   Finish the gratins

   Remove the tray from the oven. Place the poached yolks on 4 of the gratins, spoon over a little basil hollandaise and add extra basil if you like.

8. 8

   Serve the dish

   Serve the roasted asparagus and farmhouse cheese gratins with the remaining basil hollandaise on the side.

What are potato gratins?

A gratin is a baked dish with a browned top, often made with potatoes and cheese. This recipe uses ready-made thyme and rosemary potato gratins as a shortcut, then adds farmhouse cheese, asparagus and egg.

The combination makes a festive plate: the gratins provide a savoury, crisp base, while poached yolks and basil hollandaise bring a rich sauce-like finish.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 875 calories, 20g protein, 55g carbs, 66g fat.

The potato gratins supply most of the carbohydrates, while butter, olive oil and egg yolks contribute much of the fat. The cheese and egg yolks provide protein, with smaller amounts from the other ingredients. Balance the rich gratins and hollandaise with extra asparagus or a crisp salad.

The key ingredients

Potato gratins: The packaged gratins already contain thyme and rosemary, so they bring seasoning and structure without extra preparation. Keeping them in a single layer helps them brown evenly.

Farmhouse cheese: Grating the cheese lets it melt over the gratins during baking. Young cheese gives a mild, savoury flavour that does not overpower the asparagus.

Green asparagus: Trim the woody ends before roasting, and keep the spears beside the gratins so they cook on the same tray.

Getting the hollandaise right

Cool the melted butter for the full 5 minutes before blending it with the two raw yolks and vinegar. Add it while blending, then draw the stick blender upwards slowly as the mixture thickens.

If the butter is too hot, or the blender is lifted too quickly, the sauce may not bind smoothly. Blend in the tall jug so the ingredients stay close to the blades.

Poaching the yolks

Slide each yolk gently from a coffee cup into the hot water to help it keep its shape. Work with one yolk at a time, as directed, and lift each out carefully with a slotted spoon.

The 2–3 minute timing is a guide; the yolks can be cooked to your preference. The four poached yolks go on four gratins, while the other two are used for the hollandaise.

Roasting and timing

The oven does most of the work: the gratins and asparagus roast together for 25 minutes at 220°C. Use the colour of the gratins and the cooked-through cue in the method to check when they are ready.

While they bake, melt the butter and poach the yolks. Make the hollandaise near the end so it is ready to spoon over the hot gratins.

Serving the plate

Serve the asparagus alongside the cheese-topped gratins, with one poached yolk on each of four gratins. Pass the remaining basil hollandaise separately so everyone can add more at the table.

A simple green salad or extra steamed vegetables can round out the meal without competing with the rich sauce.

Recipe notes & tips

• Grate the farmhouse cheese before the oven is hot so the tray can go in promptly.
• Snap or trim the asparagus ends where they stop feeling woody.
• Keep the melted butter off the heat while it cools for 5 minutes.
• Use a coffee cup to lower each yolk gently into the poaching water.
• Blend the hollandaise in a tall, narrow jug for a more controlled mix.
• Serve the sauce separately if you want to keep the gratin tops crisp.

Variations

• Add lemon: A little lemon zest in the hollandaise brings a fresh citrus note.
• Use another herb: Blend in a few parsley leaves instead of basil for a different finish.
• Change the cheese: Try a similar melting Dutch cheese if farmhouse cheese is unavailable.
• Add mushrooms: Roast sliced mushrooms on the tray alongside the asparagus.
• Serve with salad: Add a lightly dressed green salad for a fresher side.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the asparagus trim: Woody ends stay tough, so snap or cut them off before roasting.
• Crowding the tray: Overlapping ingredients can brown unevenly; arrange the gratins and spears in a single layer.
• Browning the butter: Coloured butter can change the sauce's flavour; remove it from the heat as soon as it melts.
• Pouring in hot butter: Butter straight from the pan may make the hollandaise harder to bind; let it cool for 5 minutes.
• Dropping yolks from a height: They can break apart in the water; slide them gently from a cup.
• Blending too quickly upwards: The sauce may not thicken evenly; raise the stick blender slowly.

How to store

These components are best served freshly made, especially the hollandaise. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a covered container and use within 1–2 days; reheat the gratins and asparagus in the oven, and make fresh hollandaise rather than reheating the sauce.

Frequently asked questions