Produce of the Week; Chives

Chives offer a mild onion and garlic-like flavour. The whole green stem is edible and is super tender. This plant will produce a beautiful violet flower, which gives a lovely onion flavour with slight floral notes. We add those flowers into our savoury salad blends. 

Chives are most popularly used as a fresh garnish on signature dishes such as; baked potatoes, salads, bagels with cream cheese and smoked salmon, eggs Benedict and devilled eggs. Another great way to utilize chives is in homemade dressing, meat marinades, cream based sauces, make your own flavoured oil, add into soups,  broth / stocks. Try them tossed last minute into quiches, omelettes, mashed potatoes and more. Overheating will destroy the flavour.

Fresh chives should be wrapped in paper towels and stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator crisper for up to three days. Chives can also be frozen to extend their lifetime by snap freezing them on a baking tray in the freezer before storing them in an airtight freezer-proof bag.

Pairs well with;

Meats - bacon, lobster, crab, tuna, shrimp, salmon, cod, halibut 

Fruits & Veggies; lemon, avocados, potatoes, root vegetables, zucchini, tomatoes, leeks, corn, radishes, beets, peas and apples.

Herbs -  parsley, tarragon, fennel, cilantro, basil and chervil. 

Other - eggs, mild cheddar, cream cheese, sour cream, goat cheese, mayonnaise, and bread. 

Fun Facts; 

-Chives were used in the past for fortune telling. Romanian gypsies were specialized for this type of divination.

-Very popular in the Middle Ages

Recipes; 

Chive Dressing; https://www.healthyseasonalrecipes.com/chive-oil-salad-dressing/

Creamy Lemon Chive Farfalle; https://www.simplyscratch.com/creamy-lemon-and-chive-farfalle/

Chive and Egg Stir-Fry;  https://onolicioushawaii.com/chive-egg-stir-fry/