Botanical Lattice with Asparagus

# What You Need:

→ Vegetables & Herbs

01 - 16 medium asparagus stalks, trimmed

02 - 16 fresh chive stems

→ Fruits

03 - ½ cup blueberries

04 - ½ cup raspberries

05 - ½ cup small strawberries, halved if large

06 - ½ cup golden berries, halved if large

→ Seasoning

07 - 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

08 - ¼ teaspoon flaky sea salt

09 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add asparagus and cook for 1-2 minutes until just tender and bright green. Transfer immediately to an ice bath to cool, then pat dry.

02 - Dip chive stems in hot water for 5 seconds to soften, then cool in ice water and pat dry.

03 - On a large platter or baking sheet, lay 8 asparagus stalks parallel and evenly spaced. Weave the remaining 8 stalks perpendicularly over and under to form a grid.

04 - Tie chive stems gently around each asparagus crossing to hold the lattice firmly together.

05 - Nestle a mixture of blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and golden berries into the open squares formed by the lattice.

06 - Drizzle extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle flaky sea salt, and add freshly ground black pepper to taste just before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -

It looks like you spent hours in the kitchen when it actually takes half an hour, making it the perfect trick for impressing without stress.
The contrast of tender, buttery asparagus against crisp tartness from berries and the gentle bite of chives creates flavor combinations that feel both simple and sophisticated.

02 -

Overcooking the asparagus even by 30 seconds turns it mushy and ruins the textural contrast that makes this dish sing; treat blanching like precision work.
The chives need that heat treatment—I learned this the hard way by breaking three stems trying to tie cold chives, and now I never skip that softening step.

03 -