Asparagus & Japanese Knotweed Sauce

Put a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and cover it with a clean kitchen towel

Add 500 g of plain, unsweetened yogurt and bunch the towel together

Tie the kitchen towel in a bundle with a rubber band

Place in the refrigerator for 8h to drain. The hung yogurt is ready

Add the peel and juice of 1 lemon to a blender

Add salt to taste

Add 3 cups of elderflower and 1½ cups of lemon verbena

Add 400 ml of extra virgin olive oil. Blend on medium-high speed until almost smooth

Add the seeds and pod of 1 vanilla bean to a bowl

Add the oil and whisk to combine. Let the vanilla sit in the oil for at least 2h to infuse the flavors

Strain through a mesh sieve. The elderflower & vanilla oil is ready

Remove and discard the leaves from 1 bunch of thin Japanese knotweed. Finely chop the stems

Add 2 tbsp of olive oil to a small saucepan and transfer the Japanese knotweed

Sweat over low heat until it turns dark green

Turn the heat to medium. Add 1 cup of white vermouth and let it simmer for 1m to evaporate the alcohol

Add 1½ cups of water and ½ bunch of elderflower. Bring it to a boil and cook for 2m to extract the flavors

Blend on high speed until smooth

Strain through a fine mesh sieve and season with salt to taste. The Japanese knotweed sauce is ready

Peel 10 white asparagus

Trim the fibrous ends off 6 green asparagus

Finely slice 3 of the white asparagus and 3 of the green asparagus, leaving the tips whole. Add them to a bowl

Cut the green asparagus tips in half lengthwise and reserve

Thinly slice the white asparagus tips lengthwise and reserve

Fill a saucepan partway with water. Add salt and the elderflower & vanilla Oil to taste

Bring to a boil over medium heat

Peel, trim, and cut 1 cucumber in half. Deseed and finely slice ⅓ of the cucumber. Add it to the sliced asparagus bowl and reserve the remaining cucumber

Season the sliced asparagus and cucumber with salt and black pepper to taste

Add 2 tbsp of the Japanese Knotweed Sauce and mix to coat

Cut the remaining white asparagus in half

Blanch the asparagus in the boiling water for 3m until just slightly tender, but still crunchy. Transfer to an ice bath to cool down

Heat a grill and place the peeled cucumber on it. Add a weight over them and grill until nicely brown on both sides

Plate half of the blanched white asparagus per plate. Dress with japanese knotweed sauce to taste. Top with the sliced cucumber and asparagus salad to taste

Add 3 tsp of the hung yogurt and grilled cucumber to taste. Add the asparagus tips and garnish with edible flowers and herbs

Drizzle with the elderflower & vanilla oil to taste. The asparagus & Japanese knotweed sauce is ready

Enjoy!