Science and Cooking: Physics Meets Food, From Homemade to Haute Cuisine

16 fresh white asparagus spears, trimmed and peeled
2 large egg yolks
Juice of ½ lemon (20 mL)
160 g unsalted clarified butter*
Salt
Ground white pepper
15 g chives, finely chopped
Directions
1.Fill a large pot with salted water.
2.Tie the asparagus spears in a bundle, all pointing the same way. Place the bundle of asparagus in the pot with the tips pointing up; the water should almost cover them.
3.Bring the water to a boil and cook the asparagus until just tender. The cooking time will vary depending on the freshness, age, and origin of the asparagus, so it is important to adjust the time from as little as 4 minutes for very young asparagus up to 25 minutes for tougher spears.
4.Turn off the heat and let the asparagus stand in the cooking water.
5.Heat the clarified butter to 140°F (60°C).
6.In a small heatproof bowl, combine the egg yolks and lemon juice.
7.Place the bowl in a bain-marie and whisk until thick and creamy. When the temperature is 140°F (60°C), slowly start whisking in the warm butter. If the emulsion is close to breaking, whisk in 1–2 teaspoons of the asparagus cooking water.
8.When all of the butter has been added, taste and adjust for salt and white pepper, and add the chives. Keep the sauce in an 86°F (30°C) bain-marie.
9.Cut each asparagus spear into 4 pieces and place in a soup dish with a spoonful of the warm cooking water on top.
10.Add the hollandaise sauce on top and broil to brown lightly.

To make clarified butter, melt unsalted butter to 122°F (50°C), skim off the milk solids on top, and carefully separate the fat layer on the top (the clarified butter) from the water layer on the bottom

1 quart vanilla ice cream
3 large egg whites
3 cups crushed cornflakes
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 quarts vegetable oil, for frying
Directions
1.Scoop the ice cream into ½-cup balls (8 in total). Place on a rimmed baking sheet and freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
2.In a shallow dish, beat the egg whites until foamy.
3.In another dish, combine the cornflakes and cinnamon.
4.Roll the ice cream balls in the egg whites, then in the cornflakes, making sure the ice cream is completely covered. Place on the baking sheet again and freeze until firm, about 3 hours.
5.In deep fryer or large, heavy saucepan, heat the oil to 375°F (191°C).
6.Using a basket or slotted spoon, fry one or two ice cream balls at a time until golden, 10 to 15 seconds. Allow the oil to come back up to temperature between batches.
7.Drain briefly on paper towels and serve immediately

2.Add the lemon juice or vinegar and quickly stir for a few seconds to combine. Stop stirring and let the mixture rest for 3 to 5 minutes to allow the curds to coagulate. Do not disturb the pan during this step. The longer you leave the mixture, the larger the curds will be.
3.Line a strainer with a double layer of cheesecloth, making sure to leave plenty of extra cheesecloth hanging over the edges. Place the strainer in the sink or a larger bowl and gently pour the ricotta mixture through the cheesecloth. Let it drain for however long you desire—5 minutes will result in a soft, spreadable, ricotta, and 1 hour will result in a much firmer ricotta.
4.Empty the cheese into a serving bowl and garnish as desired (salt, pepper, honey, rosemary, etc.). (The liquid left in the bowl, called whey, can be discarded or used in smoothies or other recipes.)

SIDEBAR 5: RICOTTA
Ricotta

Ingredients
8 cups (2 L) whole milk
1 cup (240 mL) heavy cream
½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) salt
¼ cup (60 mL) lemon juice or white wine vinegar
Directions
1.In a large saucepan, heat the milk, cream, and salt over low heat until the mixture reaches 200°F (93°C), stirring regularly to prevent the bottom from burning. Remove the pan from the heat