This recipe uses hollandaise sauce as an accompanying sauce, you can also offer extra virgin olive oil for your dairy-free guests. Olive oil and salt is actually my preferred way to eat asparagus as well as the typical way Italians eat it, hollandaise is not a sauce they use often at all. However, there are members of my family who will only eat steamed broccoli with hollandaise, hence this recipe.
To prepare asparagus, rinse it then break off the ends with your hands. The asparagus will naturally break where the woody stem ends. Don't chop the ends off because you might not get it right and you'll end up with tough ends on the asparagus.
Place a small amount of water in a skillet, bring to a boil. Add asparagus and cook gently for about 3 minutes, depending on the size of the asparagus. Remove as soon as it is crisp tender. Do not overcook and note that it will continue to cook a little after you remove it. Serve with hollandaise sauce and/or olive oil.
Notes
You can also steam the asparagus. I usually cook it in water in a skillet as it seems to be easier.