• Trim the woody ends off the asparagus, about 1 inch from the bottom. Using a sharp vegetable peeler, peel away the tough green or purple skin of each spear from just below the tip all the way to the bottom, revealing the tender, bright green flesh below.
• Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil and butter. When the butter melts, add the asparagus. Season with salt + pepper and sauté, shaking the spears around in the pan, until some parts have lightly browned, about 8–10 minutes. Add half the chopped herbs, lower the heat to medium-low and continue to cook until tender, another 2–3 minutes.
• Transfer the cooked asparagus to a platter and sprinkle with lemon juice, the remaining herbs and the finishing salt. Scatter with toasted breadcrumbs and shower with chive blossom flowers, if using, and serve immediately.

Essential Toasted Breadcrumbs

• Born as a way to reduce waste by using up stale bread, these breadcrumbs became a staple in my kitchen. I crush bone-dry bread into crumbs and then fry them in olive oil, sprinkle them with fine sea salt and store them in a bowl on my counter, ready to be spooned onto just about anything.

  Way better than croutons, toasted breadcrumbs permeate every bite of a salad. I sprinkle them on fried eggs, over roasted vegetables, even on pasta in lieu of grated cheese. And a creamy ball of fresh mozzarella has no better friend than a scattering of olive-oily crumbs.