Asparagus with sauce mousseline

Ingredients

• 2 pounds (1 kilo) asparagus, trimmed and peeled as necessary
• For the sauce
• 3 egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons of water
• 8 ounces (225 g) unsalted butter
• Salt and pepper
• juice of one lemon
• 150ml/5 fl oz of cold, whipping cream

Instructions

1. Begin by clarifying the butter. Line a mesh strainer with a layer of cheesecloth and place over a small clean pot, set aside. Cut the butter into pieces, place in another small pot and heat until melted. Continue cooking. As the butter simmers, white foam will rise to the surface. Keep cooking until all the foam has risen to the top. Remove from heat and use a spoon to remove most of the foam. Pour the remaining warm butter through the prepared cheesecloth lined strainer into the pot and set aside.
2. Put the egg yolks, salt, pepper and water in a stainless steel bowl. Whisk to mix and place over a pot of barely simmering water. Keep the whisk moving and cook the yolks until they become thick and pale in color, about 1 minute – the whisk should leave a trace in the mixture when it is ready. Remove from the heat. If the clarified butter has gone cold, warm it slightly, then slowly whisk into the egg mixture in a slow steady stream until the yolks thicken. (I generally switch to a handheld mixer for this part of the operation). Add half the lemon juice, taste and adjust the seasoning for salt and more lemon juice if necessary. Set aside but keep at room temperature.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add the asparagus and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the spears are tender when pierced with a knife. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and place on a dry kitchen towel to briefly dry. Place on a serving platter and keep warm.
4. Quickly whisk the heavy cream until it just loosely starts to hold its shape. Fold into the room temperature sauce. Adjust the seasoning adding. Spoon the sauce into a bowl and serve alongside the asparagus.