Asparagus Mousseline Recipes

ASPARAGUS WITH ORANGE MUSTARD SAUCE AND SAUCE MOUSSELINE

Steps:

• In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Cook asparagus until al dente (about 5 minutes, for regular asparagus and 3 minutes for pencil asparagus, from the time the water returns to a boil).
• Remove asparagus from the pot and refresh in ice water to stop the cooking process. Chill until needed.
• Serve with both cold Orange Mustard Sauce and hot Sauce Mousseline.
• In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, reduce the orange juice until only 1/2 cup remains. Transfer to a bowl and let cool, over a bowl of ice. Stir in mustard, salt, and pepper.
• Add whipped cream and stir until well blended. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
• Yield: 1 1/2 cups
• In a heat resistant mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks, water, lemon juice, pepper, and salt. Whip over hot, not boiling, water until thick and creamy. Slowly whisk in the butter, a few drops at a time, until the mixture begins to emulsify. In a slow stream, whisk in the remaining butter until it is completely incorporated. Correct seasoning, to taste. Fold in the whipped cream and keep warm until needed.
• Yield: 1 1/2 cups
• Recipe courtesy Wolfgang Puck, "Modern French Cooking for the American Kitchen" Houghton Mifflin, 1981

PAN-SEARED ASPARAGUS WITH CRISPY GARLIC

Steps:

• Place a paper towel-lined plate next to the stove. In a medium or large skillet, combine the garlic and olive oil over medium-low heat. Cook, shaking the skillet often, until the garlic is very light golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, tilt it, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the garlic to the towel-lined plate, leaving the remaining oil in the skillet. Season the crispy garlic with salt.
• Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add the asparagus, season with salt and pepper, and cook, shaking often, until bright green, crisp-tender and browned in spots, 4 to 5 minutes. Slide onto a platter, including any oil in the skillet. Top with the garlic chips and season again with salt and pepper.

ASPARAGUS WITH MORELS AND TARRAGON

Steps:

• Cook white and green asparagus separately in a 5- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water , uncovered, until just tender, about 5 minutes for white asparagus; about 3 minutes for green asparagus.
• Transfer asparagus with a slotted spoon to a colander and rinse under cold water (to stop cooking), then drain again. Pat dry.
• Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté shallots, stirring, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add morels and sauté, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add asparagus, tarragon, salt, pepper, and remaining 3 tablespoons butter and sauté, stirring, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Serve immediately.

ASPARAGUS WITH MOUSSELINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Snap the ends off the asparagus. Then, using a vegetable peeler, peel about 2 inches off the thickest part of the stems.
• Bring a big pot of water, with the salt and the sugar, to a boil. Drop in the asparagus, and cook for about 15 minutes, depending on the thickness. Pierce with a fork to see if they are tender; white asparagus should be cooked softer than green asparagus. Drain, and set aside.
• Meanwhile, to make the mousseline, separate the egg, and put the yolk in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the mustard, red-wine vinegar, and salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Pulse to combine. With the motor running, gradually drizzle in the oil until it emulsifies and you have a thick, creamy mayonnaise.
• Beat the egg white to stiff peaks. Mix half of the beaten egg white into the mayonnaise, then gently fold in the other half to make a very fluffy mousseline. Serve the hot asparagus with the mousseline on the side.