Asparagus with Orange Mustard Sauce and Sauce Mousseline

2 pounds jumbo asparagus
Orange Mustard Sauce, recipe follows
Sauce Mousseline, recipe follows

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.

Yield: 4 servings

Orange Mustard Sauce

3 cups fresh orange juice, strained
1/4 cup grainy mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream, whipped

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

Sauce Mousseline

3 egg yolks
4 tablespoons water
1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Freshly ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound unsalted butter, clarified
1/2 cup whipped cream

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.