Botanical Lattice with Asparagus (Printable)

Edible asparagus and chive lattice filled with fresh berries offers a fresh, elegant starter with spring flavors.

# What you'll need:

→ Vegetables & Herbs

01 - 16 medium asparagus stalks, trimmed
02 - 16 fresh chive stems, long

→ 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

# How to make it:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add asparagus and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until just tender and bright green. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to cool, then pat dry.
02 - Quickly 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 spaced evenly. Weave the remaining 8 stalks perpendicularly over and under to create a grid.
04 - Gently tie chive stems around the crossing points of the asparagus lattice to hold the grid together.
05 - Nestle a mix of blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and golden berries into the open squares of the lattice.
06 - Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle sea salt, and add freshly ground black pepper just before serving.

# Expert suggestions:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours in the kitchen when it actually takes about 30 minutes, making you look like a culinary genius.
  • The combination of tender asparagus, fragrant chives, and burst-in-your-mouth berries creates a texture and flavor experience that feels elegant without being fussy.
02 -
  • Don't skip the ice bath after blanching—even 30 extra seconds of residual heat will turn your asparagus mushy and ruin the whole texture contrast.
  • The chives need to be fresh and flexible; if they snap when you try to bend them, they've been stored too dry and won't cooperate with you.
03 -
  • Pat every single ingredient completely dry before assembly—moisture is the enemy of crisp asparagus and will make your chive ties slip.
  • If your asparagus is particularly thick or thin, adjust the blanching time by a few seconds rather than sticking rigidly to the recipe—taste one piece from your ice bath to confirm it's tender but still snappy.
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