Pan-fried salmon with asparagus and hollandaise (Saumon, asperges, hollandaise)

1. Peel the potatoes, cut into even pieces and boil in lightly salted water until tender, then keep warm.

2. Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus and cook in boiling salted water for about 4-5 minutes until just tender, then drain.

3. For the hollandaise, whisk the egg yolks with a little lemon juice over steam, whisking constantly, until pale, foamy and thick.

4. Off the heat, pour the melted, lukewarm butter into the yolks in a thin stream, whisking, until you have a creamy emulsion; season with salt.

5. Pat the salmon fillets dry, season with salt and pepper and fry in a little butter, skin-side down first, 3-4 minutes per side.

6. Serve the salmon with the steamed potatoes and the asparagus, generously spooned over with the warm hollandaise.

Tip: Hollandaise succeeds if you never let the yolks overheat (or they scramble) – work over gentle steam, whisking constantly. The butter should be lukewarm, not hot. Serve fresh and warm.