Recipe: Crêpes with parma ham, asparagus and hollandaise—perfect for supper or as a starter.
Hollandaise sauce has gone out of fashion somewhat, partly because it is seen as something of a faff to make, when really it is quite easy, and partly because of memories of 70s dinner parties with gloopy, yellow sauce on over-cooked salmon.
This dish is simply a spear of asparagus wrapped in thin ham, all wrapped in a crêpe and then slathered in hollandaise and grilled under a hot salamander. I first heard about this recipe from the food writer Simon Hopkinson. It took me a long time to get around to making it, but as soon as I had I was converted.
One or two crepes make and excellent starter for a dinner party that is sure to wow your friend, three make a wonderful supper, serve with a simple salad.
The Recipe (serve 1 for supper):
Ingredients:
3 x spears of asparagus
3 x slices of parma (or otherwise thin) ham
3 x crêpes (unsweetened)
1 x egg yolk
A good pinch of black pepper
1 tbsp white wine/cider vinegar
90g butter
1 tbsp lemon juice
The method:
1. Start by making the hollandaise. In a small pan reduce the the tablespoon of vinegar by two thirds (or so) until there's barely a dribble left.
2. In a bowl set over a pan of hot, but not boiling, water (a 'bain marie'), combine the egg yolk, pepper and what's left of the vinegar. Beat until pale and fluffy.
3. Add the butter in cubes, beating continuously.
4. When you have a glossy, smooth sauce, add the lemon juice.
5. Pre-heat the oven to 200C. You can now assemble the crêpes: lay a crêpe on a plate and then a piece of ham. Wrap the ham around a spear of asparagus and then roll the crêpe up.
6. The crêpes then need to go into a hot oven (200C) for 10-15 minutes until the edges are getting crispy.
7. Bring them out of the oven and whack on the grill. Slather the crepes with the hollandaise sauce and grill until they are barely golden and bubbling.
8. Serve with a simple salad and enjoy!
Tips: Hollandaise sauce can be made in advance, it can then be kept in a warm jug or in the bowl over the hot water, but taken off the heat. It will need a good stir before you use it.
The crêpes I used had been made days before. I keep them in the freezer between sheets of greaseproof—they freeze beautifully!
What to avoid: You can make hollandaise sauce over a direct heat source, but you must keep the temperature low otherwise the egg yolks will cook too quickly and the sauce will be spoilt.