Chives are milder than their allium cousins onions, shallots and garlic but their soft oniony essence is especially versatile in the kitchen. The leaves bruise easily so are best harvested and prepared with scissors. Snip the leaves fine and sprinkle with wild abandon on omelettes, salad, fish or boiled new potatoes with butter. The purple pom-pom blossoms are tasty and beautiful in salad and when picked regularly will promote the growth of the leaves. To store chives, wrap them in a moist paper towel in the fridge for up to five days. They can be kept in the freezer for up to six months but are best preserved in oil or vinegar.
Fresh Chive Oil
A beautiful bright green oil to drizzle over grilled asparagus or use in salad dressings.
In a blender, puree:
1 large bunch of chives, minced
cup extra-virgin olive oil or sunflower oil
Salt
Strain through a fine sieve, coffee filter or cheesecloth and store in the fridge for up to five days in a tightly closed bottle.
Chive Blossom Vinegar
A sexy pink vinegar that can be used anywhere and everywhere or tie it with a bow for a delicious gift.
Soak in cold water, to clean 2+ cups chives blossoms. Spin in a salad spinner to dry and place in a 1 litre jar. The jar should be 1/2 to 2/3 full. Fill jar with white wine vinegar. Close tightly and let sit in a cool dark place for a 2 weeks. Strain through a coffee filter or cheese cloth into a new sterilized bottle.
Jenn Chic is the market manager for the Kitsilano and Kerrisdale .
