• Preheat the oven to 400°F, 200°C, or gas mark 6.
• Place the asparagus on the sheet pan and then toss with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 10 minutes.

Making the hollandaise sauce

• While the asparagus is roasting fill a saucepan with about an inch of water and bring to a boil on high heat.
• While the water is heating whisk the egg yolks and the 2 tablespoons of water in the metal mixing bowl.
• Once the water is boiling place the bowl on top of the saucepan making sure that the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Whisk continuously until the mixture becomes a light pale color. You will need to remove to bowl from the heat several times to keep the egg yolks from cooking. This will take about 2½ minutes of whisking on and off the heat.
• Once the mixture is a pale yellow remove from the heat a final time and whisk in the lemon juice and salt. Then slowly pour in the clarified butter continuously whisking. Keep whisking until all of the butter has been added. You should have a pale yellow sauce whisk in pepper if you are using it.
• Remove the asparagus from the oven and serve topped with the hollandaise sauce.