ASPARAGUS WITH MOUSSELINE SAUCE
Asparagus shines with a beautiful homemade mousseline sauce. 
When asparagus season begins in France, market stalls overflow with piles of green and white varieties, and this springtime dish pops up on bistro menus across the country. There's little wonder why - asparagus shines with a beautiful homemade mousseline sauce. Mousseline is a light and smooth variant of hollandaise, with whipped cream folded in at the end to give the sauce an airy, mousse-like texture. It is also, in my experience, easier to make than a classic hollandaise and just as impressive at the table. This dish makes a lovely starter or side for an Easter feast.
INGREDIENTS
Serves: 4
20 green asparagus stalks, or 12 white asparagus stalks
200 ml (¾ cup) Hollandaise (get the recipe here)
45 ml (3 tbsp) heavy cream
MISE EN PLACE
Make the Hollandaise around 10 minutes before you are ready to serve the asparagus. Have the cream chilled and waiting in the fridge until needed.
Trim the asparagus stalks. If using white asparagus, peel the stalks before cooking.
Method
Cook the asparagus in well-salted boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes depending on how firm or soft you like them — allow 15 to 20 minutes for white asparagus. As soon as they are cooked, plunge the stalks into a bowl of cold water for 1 minute to stop the cooking. Pat dry and transfer to a serving plate.
In a bowl, whip the cream until it just holds firm peaks. Keep it chilled while you prepare the hollandaise.
As soon as the hollandaise is ready, gently fold the whipped cream into the sauce. Don't worry if it loosens a little — this is normal. As the sauce settles, the air from the cream will give it a light, foamy texture. Drizzle over the asparagus and serve immediately.