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.
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).
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 ⅛-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.
Mediterranean Recipes
From asparagus and French radishes to chive blossoms and crisp Little Gem and Cegolaine lettuces, this week’s box is a beautiful display of spring’s best offerings. Use these provisions and more to help craft a delicious Mediterranean-inspired feast, with ingredients for a satisfying baked orzo, plus gorgeous sheep’s milk feta cheese, fresh oregano, sweet peppers and crisp cucumbers, all to go alongside in a salad. This refreshing lineup also features sliced multigrain bread, farm-fresh eggs and our housemade lemon polenta cake mix, so that you can enjoy each and every bite this box has to offer.
Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:
Mediterranean-Inspired Spring Salad
The light and bright salad is extremely versatile; toss in your favorite salad ingredients!
Baked Orzo
This hearty baked orzo recipe is incredibly satisfying!
Grilled Asparagus with Classic Gremolata
This healthy, easy dish is a classic way to serve asparagus in the Italian region of Lombardy—and it only takes a few minutes to put together.
Chive Blossom Vinegar
This punchy vinegar is fantastic incorporated into salad dressings; just swap it one-to-one with your favorite vinegar in recipes!
Chive Blossom-Garlic Aioli
This flavorful aioli is wonderful served with freshly-roasted asparagus, or even with homemade French fries!
Mustard Greens Pesto
Brilliantly green, this mustard green pesto packs a bit of a kick and pairs beautifully with grilled fingerling potatoes!
Lemon Olive Oil Polenta Cake
This rustic cake has a slightly-crunchy texture courtesy of polenta and is beautifully flavored by olive oil.
