A gourmet-style breakfast that you can enjoy from the comfort of your own home. This Eggs Royale recipe takes a little longer to prepare, but the hollandaise will keep for a week refrigerated and tastes great with other recipes like white fish and vegetables.

INGREDIENTS – Serves 6

170g butter

3 tbsp water

3 egg yolks

½-1 lemon, juiced

6 eggs poached

6 slices rye, seeded or wholegrain toast

8 large handfuls of spinach

500g asparagus spears

200g smoked salmon

1 handful of fresh dill or chives

METHOD

1. To make the hollandaise, melt the butter in a small saucepan, over medium heat and set aside.

2. In another saucepan, add about 3cm of water and bring it to a simmer. Place a mixing bowl on top of the saucepan so the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. We’re setting up a double boiler to make the hollandaise.

3. Add the water, egg yolks, a small pinch of salt, and white pepper to the mixing bowl. Using a small hand whisk, constantly whisk the mixture until it’s creamy and the whisk leaves a trail on the base of the mixing bowl. This can take roughly 5-7mins.

4. Take the egg mixture off the heat. Add the melted butter a few drops at a time to the egg mixture.

This is really important, you’re better off going really slowly (1-2 drops at a time) otherwise the mixture will curdle. When the sauce starts to thicken, you can add the butter a little faster, but leave the whiter milky sediment at the bottom of the butter (use that when frying the asparagus and spinach).

5. Add the juice of ½ a lemon to the hollandaise, and taste. Add the other ½ if you prefer a more lemony taste.

6. Prepare the rest of the meal by poaching 6 eggs. Frying the asparagus and spinach in a saucepan with the leftover butter sediment and a tsp of olive oil, salt and pepper. Toast your preferred bread.

7. Place the spinach on top of the toast, a slice of smoked salmon, poached egg and 1-2 tbsp of the hollandaise on top. Serve with fresh dill or chives on top and asparagus on the side.

Recipe extracted from Second Nature Quick and Easy Recipes, £11.99