Chive Blossom-Garlic Aioli
This flavorful aioli is wonderful served with freshly-roasted asparagus, or even with homemade French fries!
Ingredients:
1 egg
2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoon sherry or chive blossom vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chive blossoms
Method:
1. In a blender or food processor, drop in the egg and chopped garlic and process until garlic is smooth. With the motor running, add the oil in a slow stream, until the sauce is thick and emulsified. Add the vinegar and salt. (The sauce should be creamy and mayonnaise-like and will have a nice garlic bite.)
2. Add one tablespoon of the chive blossoms and blend a few more seconds. Place the aioli in a small bowl and mix in remaining chive blossoms. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Beet Salad with Chive Blossom Vinaigrette
Tossed with a light, honey-kissed vinaigrette and freshly-roasted beets, this salad sings of springtime.
Ingredients:
1 pound spring salad mix
1 bunch baby beets, scrubbed and trimmed of greens
¼ cup crumbled blue cheese
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Minced chive blossoms
For vinaigrette:
¾ cup olive oil
¼ cup chive blossom vinegar (see recipe)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. To roast beets, preheat the oven to 350° and place the beets in a roasting pan and coat with oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the water to the pan and cover with foil. Roast the beets until they are tender, approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let them cool until just warm enough to handle. Use a towel to gently rub off the skin (this is much easier when they are still warm). Cut into bite-sized pieces.
2. To prepare the vinaigrette, whisk together the olive oil, chive blossom vinegar and garlic, plus sea salt and pepper to taste, in a small bowl until combined.
3. In a large salad bowl or serving tray, arrange washed salad greens, then top with beets. Drizzle with chive blossom vinaigrette, then top with crumbled cheese, chive blossoms and a few grinds of pepper.
Chive Blossom Vinegar
This punchy vinegar is fantastic incorporated into salad dressings; just swap it one-to-one with your favorite vinegar in recipes!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup chive blossoms
1 cup white wine vinegar
Method:
1. Soak chive blossoms in water to clean, then dry them using a salad spinner.
2. Place chive blossoms into a large canning jar so that the jar is filled about halfway with blossoms. Fill jar with the vinegar, covering the blossoms completely.
3. Let blossoms steep in the vinegar at least overnight or up to several days in a cool, dark place. Strain blossoms from vinegar and pour liquid into a clean jar. Refrigerate for the longest shelf life (the vinegar should last several weeks in the fridge).
Roasted Garlic, Three Ways
The Hungry Mouse blog shares favorite ways to enjoy this essential aromatic ingredient: roasted, in compound butter and as an infused oil.
Ingredients:
Whole heads of garlic
8 tablespoons butter
Olive oil
Method:Â
1. Roasted: Preheat oven to 350°. Cut head(s) off of garlic about half-inch from the top, set trimmed head(s) in baking dish. (You may discard tips, or toss them into the baking dish—just keep an eye on them during roasting as these small pieces burn more easily.) Drizzle garlic with a generous swig of olive oil, seeping oil down into the head(s). Cover dish with aluminum foil, roast for 30-45 minutes until garlic is a deep caramel color and soft. Remove cloves from skin with sharp paring knife.
2. Compound Butter: Cut a stick of butter into small pieces and set in a bowl to soften. Once soft, add in mashed roasted garlic and mix together with a fork. (For 1 stick of butter, add the equivalent of half head of roasted garlic. Feel free to play with this ratio for stronger—or more subtle—versions!) Refrigerate until ready for use. Use to make garlic bread, stir it into mashed potatoes or to garnish a grilled steak.
3. Infused Oil: Set strainer over a small bowl. Take baking pan with extra olive oil and garlic skins and strain into bowl, pressing garlic skins with a spoon to squeeze out any and all extra oil. Keep garlic-infused oil in the fridge, use within one week.
Grilled-Roasted Garlic
Forget turning on the oven, you can roast garlic on the grill! These tender, smoky cloves are delicious incorporated into salad dressings, or simply spread atop slices of grilled bread for a summery starter.
Ingredients:
Whole garlic bulbs
Olive oil
Method:
1. Prepare the garlic by slicing the tops off the garlic bulbs (depending on the size of each bulb it should be around ¼ to a ½ of an inch from the top) to expose the individual cloves. Then drizzle the exposed garlic cloves with a good amount of olive oil.
2. Wrap the bulbs in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place covered bulbs on a hot grill, over indirect heat, for approximately 40 minutes (this will vary based on the exact size of your bulbs). Then open the foil and use your finger to test if they’re done. They should be nice and soft to the touch when roasted through.
3. Remove and allow to cool slightly. Use a small knife or cocktail fork to gently remove the individual roasted garlic cloves from the skins and then prepare according to your chosen recipe.
Baby Lettuce Greens with Chive Blossom Vinaigrette
Whisked with honey and olive oil, this truly unique vinaigrette adds a light, crisp finish to a salad of baby greens.
Ingredients:
Baby lettuce greens, like Tom Thumb
Green apple, chopped
Bleu cheese crumbles
Vinaigrette:
¼ cup chive blossom vinegar
1 teaspoon honey½ – ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
Fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. To make vinaigrette, mix chive blossom vinegar with honey in a bowl. Whisk in olive oil and combine until smooth.
2. In a large mixing bowl, toss baby lettuce greens with chopped apples, bleu cheese and vinaigrette to taste. Top with additional ground pepper if needed.
Shaved Kohlrabi & Arugula Salad with Roasted Garlic Dressing
This crisp, crunchy salad from Martha Stewart is beautifully balanced in flavor.
Ingredients:
2 mediums heads garlic
Zest and juice from 1 lemon
½ teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium purple kohlrabi, trimmed
1 ½ cups arugula greens
¼ cup toasted almonds
Sea salt
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 400°. Remove 1 garlic clove from 1 head, and very finely grate, setting aside ⅛ teaspoon. Wrap remaining heads of garlic in foil, and roast until very soft and golden inside, about 1 hour. Unwrap; let cool.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together grated garlic, lemon zest and juice, paprika, mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl. Squeeze roasted garlic from skins, and add 2 tablespoons to bowl, reserving remainder for another use. Stir to combine but leave very chunky. Stir in oil (do not completely incorporate).
3. Shave kohlrabi very thinly on a mandoline. Divide among 4 plates; season with ½ teaspoon salt. Spoon dressing over kohlrabi, then top with arugula leaves and almonds.
Creamy Scalloped Potatoes with Chive Blossoms
This beautiful dish is sure to be a new spring favorite!
Ingredients:
3 pounds fingerling or other small new potato
2 shallots, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces soft mild goat cheese
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Fresh flowering chives, snipped with scissors, for garnish
Method:
1, Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Peel potatoes and cut into â…›-inch-thick slices with a manual slicer or sharp thin knife. Keep slices in a large bowl of cold water while making sauce.
3. Cook shallots in butter in a small skillet over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Transfer to a blender and purée with milk, cream, cheese, kosher salt to taste, and pepper.
4. Drain potatoes in a large colander and pat dry. Arrange in a buttered 3-quart shallow baking dish in 3 layers, pouring some of sauce over each layer (use all of sauce) and putting best potato slices on top layer. Bake, covered with foil, in lower third of oven. Remove foil after 45 minutes and continue to bake until potatoes are tender, 30 to 45 minutes more. If desired, briefly broil potatoes under preheated broiler until top is golden.
Roasted Green Garlic
Roasting these garlic bulbs brings out its lovely springtime sweetness.
Ingredients:
Green garlic bulbs
Olive oil
Sea salt
Method:
1. Heat oven to 375°. Trim the green garlic, removing the roots and dark green stalk. Lay the trimmed garlic in a baking pan or on aluminum foil. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt.
2. Cover the green garlic with foil and roast it for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue roasting until garlic is tender and browned, about 15 minutes.
Fresh Chive Vinaigrette
We like to toss this vibrant, green vinaigrette with fresh spring lettuce and lots of the tender herbs—think celery leaves, mint, chervil, or parsley.
Ingredients:
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
Kosher salt
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
Freshly ground black pepper
Method:
1. Combine garlic and a pinch of salt in a large salad bowl. Mash to a paste with a fork. Mix in vinegar, then oil and chives; season with salt and pepper. Toss with greens right away and enjoy!