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The starter, French classic

White asparagus with mousseline sauce

White asparagus with mousseline sauce is a classic French starter for 6 people, warm asparagus topped with a butter and egg yolk sauce lightened with whipped cream. It takes 45 minutes of active work, comes together the same day, and sits at medium difficulty for €4.20 per person. The key to success is folding in the whipped cream at the very end, which makes the sauce airy.

The white asparagus is here, so I'm serving it warm with a mousseline sauce, light and lemony, the kind that gets a wow at the first bite.

White asparagus with mousseline sauce
For
6 people
Work
45 min
Total time
1 h 15
Prep
Prepared the same day
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€4.20
Calories per person
360 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

White asparagus cooks until tender, then gets draped in a warm sauce of melted butter and egg yolks, whisked like a sabayon before whipped cream gets folded in to lighten it. The result has the richness of a hollandaise but a softer, almost cloudlike texture that coats the asparagus without weighing it down. Lemon brings just enough brightness to balance the butter.

This is a spring starter through and through, perfect for a dinner with friends or a family meal when white asparagus is in season. It opens a menu nicely before a simple meat or fish course, it doesn't need anything fancy alongside it, its own character carries the moment. Expect it to set a relaxed pace at the table, it's meant to be eaten slowly, spoon and fork together.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before Nothing to do
  2. The same day 2 steps, 40 min
  3. Before the guests arrive 2 steps, 15 min
  4. When it's time to serve 1 step

Peel and cook the asparagus the morning of, then let them rest on a towel until serving time. Just before guests arrive, melt the butter and whisk the sabayon, keeping both warm over a water bath. At serving time, whip the cream, fold it into the sauce, and warm the asparagus in a low oven to serve right away.

The ingredients

6 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • White asparagus 1.5 kg
  • Lemon 1

Dairy

  • Butter 200 g
  • Egg yolks 3
  • Heavy cream 10 cl

Pantry

  • Coarse saltoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Eggs, Lactose

The recipe, moment by moment

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Peel the asparagus from just below the tip down to the base, trim the ends, and tie into bundles of six. 20 min

    Press a bit harder near the base than near the tip, the skin is tougher there.

  2. Drop the bundles into a large pot of boiling salted water, cook until a knife tip slides through easily, then drain on a kitchen towel. 20 min

    They should bend slightly without breaking, figure about twenty minutes for medium spears.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Melt the butter gently, skim off the foam, and keep it warm. 5 min

    Pour off the butter, leaving the milky solids behind in the pan, the sauce will taste cleaner.

  2. Whisk the egg yolks with two spoonfuls of water and the lemon juice over a water bath until you get a frothy sabayon, then whisk in the butter in a thin stream. 10 min

    Pull the pan off the water bath as soon as it thickens, overheated eggs turn into scrambled eggs.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Whip the cream into a soft chantilly, gently fold it into the sauce, season with salt and pepper, and serve with the asparagus warmed through in a low oven.

    Keep the sauce in a bowl set over warm water, it won't set at the table.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick asparagus spears that feel firm and are roughly the same thickness within each bunch, so they cook evenly.
  • Start checking doneness with a knife tip at eighteen minutes, the spears keep cooking a little after draining.
  • Whisk the mousseline sauce at the very last moment before serving, it holds for about fifteen minutes before it starts to deflate.

The variations

  • Swap the white asparagus for green, the cooking time is shorter, around ten to twelve minutes.
  • Stir a pinch of chopped chives into the sauce for a fresher, greener edge.
  • For a quicker version, serve the asparagus with a simple egg mimosa vinaigrette instead of the mousseline sauce, which needs more attention.

What to serve it with

  • Lightly toasted country bread
  • A glass of crisp dry white wine
  • Extra soft boiled eggs on the side

Storage

The mousseline sauce doesn't keep, make it and serve it the same day. Cooked asparagus will keep for a day in the refrigerator in a sealed container, gently reheat in the oven before making a fresh batch of sauce.

Questions about this recipe

Why did my mousseline sauce curdle?

The egg yolks got too hot over the water bath and scrambled like an omelet. Always pull the pan off the heat as soon as the sabayon thickens, before whisking in the butter.

Can you use oil instead of butter?

No, melted butter is essential to the texture and flavor of this sauce, oil would give a flatter result. Use good quality butter, you'll really taste it in the finished sauce.

How do you plate white asparagus with mousseline sauce nicely?

Fan the asparagus bundles out on the plate and spoon the sauce generously over one side, leaving the tips peeking out. A turn of the pepper mill right before serving finishes the plate nicely.

Can this starter be made for more than 6 people?

Yes, the recipe scales up easily, but whisk the mousseline sauce in small successive batches if you're serving more than twelve. Beyond that, it gets hard to keep warm without deflating.

Can white asparagus with mousseline sauce be made ahead?

Yes, during the day. The recipe needs 45 min of work in total, split up like this, the same day, 2 steps, before the guests arrive, 2 steps, when it's time to serve, 1 step.

How long does it take to make white asparagus with mousseline sauce?

Allow 1 h 15 in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 45 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "medium".

How many calories are in white asparagus with mousseline sauce?

About 360 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does white asparagus with mousseline sauce cost?

About €4.20 per person, that's €25.20 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains eggs, lactose. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

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