Chives have been a favorite herb for a long, long time. The Chinese used them as a culinary and medicinal plant some 3000 years before the birth of Christ. One of the oldest recorded recipes, in 1330 BC, included chives. Thought to be a protective plant, chives were used to stop bleeding and as an antidote to poisons. They are thought to stimulate the appetite and aid in the digestion of fatty foods.
Chives are a member of the onion family and the only one grown specifically for their edible leaves and flowers. Chives are very rich in vitamins A and C and grow in thick clumps that can be as big as a foot across and up to eighteen inches high. They are the only herb referred to in the plural probably because of the tight clumps that contain more than one plant. The flower of a chive plant is like a small pink ball and also has the onion flavor only stronger. Anyone can grow chives in their garden. All they require is a sunny spot with preferably rich soil and good drainage. Frequent water, fertilization and harvesting are the keys to healthy plants. To harvest the leaves, clip just above the ground and remove any tough flower stems if the chives are in bloom. One clump of chives will last indefinitely if you harvest about one-quarter of the clump each week. By the time you harvest the last clump, the first part will have already grown back.
Chives may not be as complex as other herbs in flavor but they are very versatile. It’s not easy to ruin a dish by adding chives. A good rule of thumb is to add them to anything that would benefit from an onion flavor. However, always add them at the end of the cooking process because long cooking will destroy the flavor. Snipping a bundle of chives with scissors will usually produce the best results. Sprinkle snipped chives over potatoes, cooked vegetables, egg and cheese dishes, soups and sauces. Another great way to use chives is as edible string to tie bundles of vegetables, around fish or as a tie for a crepe. It is best to blanch each string first. Using tongs, dip the chives in boiling water for 5 seconds or less and then plunge them directly into a cold ice bath to stop the cooking process. The pink chive blossom can add a beautiful touch to a salad or soup. Separate the florets (a single blossom is too strong to use on its own) and sprinkle them lightly across the dish. Chives will keep for about a week in a sealed plastic bag or you can freeze them in ice cube trays for later use.
Just because chives are a rather simple herb doesn’t mean they can’t be fun to use. Take advantage of their easy nature and turn an otherwise ordinary dish into a taste and sight sensation. Come to think of it, no one has ever served me chilled vichyssoise with bright pink florets sprinkled over the top. I guess I just have to do everything myself.
This article appears in March 2024.