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).
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-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.
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.
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.
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!
Fried Squash Blossoms
The ultimate summer starter, incredibly beautiful and flavorful.
Ingredients:
12-16 squash blossoms
1 cup ricotta
1 large egg yolk
¾ cup Grana-style cheese, divided
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
¾ cup chilled seltzer water or club soda
¼ cup finely-chopped mint
2 tablespoons each finely-chopped parsley and basil
3 cups vegetable oil, for frying
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Stir together ricotta, egg yolk, herbs, half of the cheese and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a small bowl.
2. Carefully open each blossom and fill with about 2-3 rounded teaspoons of the ricotta filling, gently twisting the end of the blossom to enclose. Tip: Use a pastry bag for this! (You may have filling left over.)
3. Whisk together flour, remaining cheese, about ¼ teaspoon salt, and seltzer in a small bowl.
4. Heat ½ inch oil to 375° in a 10-inch heavy skillet. Meanwhile, dip blossoms in the flour batter to thinly coat. Fry coated blossoms, turning once, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes total. Transfer with tongs to paper towels to drain. Coat and fry remaining blossoms. (Return oil to 375° between batches.) Season with salt and serve immediately.
Chicory Salad with Pecans & Goat Cheese
This light and bright dressing is the perfect compliment to peppery chicory greens.
Ingredients:
6 cups chicory, leaves separated and torn
1 cup pecans
¼ cup sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
¼ cup whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons honey
¼ cup thinly sliced chives
¼ cup goat cheese
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Toast pecans on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until slightly darkened and fragrant, 6-8 minutes. Let cool; crush or coarsely chop.
2. Whisk vinegar, mustard, and honey in a large bowl to combine. Add chicory, chives, and half of the pecans. Drizzle with oil, season with salt and lots of pepper, and toss to coat. Top salad with remaining pecans and goat cheese.
Asian Slaw with Shallot Oil & Amber Vinegar
Fresh and light, this Vietnamese-style salad is beautifully accented by a shallot oil and amber vinegar dressing.
Ingredients:
2-3 cups thinly-sliced Savoy cabbage
1 cup cherry tomatoes
¼ cup thinly-sliced green onion
1 Chantenay carrot, peeled and shredded
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
¼ cup crushed peanuts
¼ cup crispy fried shallots (see recipe)
Dressing:
3 tablespoons shallot oil
¼ cup amber vinegar
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Place cabbage in a serving bowl followed by all other prepared vegetables.
2. Mix together amber vinegar and shallot oil and pour onto salad right before serving. (Salad can be made up to a day in advance if not dressed.) Garnish top with peanuts and shallot crisps after tossing.
Roasted Root Vegetables with Balsamic Vinegar
Tossed with fresh thyme, parsley and butter, plus a splash of balsamic vinegar, this recipe works well with any number of root vegetables.
Ingredients:
2 cups Chantenay carrots, scrubbed and sliced into 1-inch pieces
2 cups parsnips, scrubbed and sliced into 1-inch pieces
1 cup purple Daikon radish, trimmed of greens, then scrubbed and sliced into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon finely-chopped thyme
1 tablespoon freshly-chopped parsley
1 tablespoon butter
1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Heat the oven to 400°.
2. Using your fingers, toss the vegetables with the oil, salt and pepper in a bowl and then transfer to a baking sheet.
3. Place the vegetables in the oven and roast for 20 minutes. Flip them gently with a spatula and continue to roast until the vegetables are browned and crispy, another 10 to 20 minutes.
4. Transfer vegetables to a large serving bowl and add in fresh thyme, parsley and butter, tossing to coat, then drizzle the dish with balsamic vinegar. Taste for seasoning and add additional salt and pepper as desired. Serve warm.