Chives: Invite Them to Your Table All Summer Long
by Anne Sala 
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Chives |
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Species |
Allium |
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Zone |
3–10 |
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Needs |
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Soil pH |
6.0–7.0 |
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Size |
6–12 in., out & up |
Did you plant chives in your garden and then completely forget to use them? Chives are such a humble herb whose usefulness can be drowned out by the urgent needs of other short-lived herbs, like cilantro (which always bolts on me) or basil (and its massive amount of leaves). But look over there, in the corner of your garden—your chives are waiting to be used. Every year, the plant sends up its delicate onion-flavored greens and darling purple pom-pom flowers, trying to get your attention. I hope this article will help you come up with ways to enjoy this easy-to-grow perennial all season long.
Allium schoenoprasum is the smallest and mildest-flavored member of the onion family, which also includes garlic, scallions, and leeks. It grows from edible bulbs with a fine, papery skin, similar to the white or yellow onion, but it does not grow nearly as large. Thin, hollow, tubular leaves, or scapes, rise up from the bulbs in a grasslike clump to a height between six and twelve inches. In late spring or early summer, pink or lavender-colored flowers bloom at the top of stems that rise dramatically above the leaves. These blossoms form a pert-looking ball and are also edible.
Garlic chives, Allium tuberosum, look similar to onion chives, except they have flat, solid leaves that grow to about sixteen inches and have white, star-shaped flowers. Also, as the name attests, they have a distinct garlic flavor.
Chives are the only member of the onion family to grow wild in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. While Europeans do not appear to have formally cultivated chives until five hundred years ago, documentation of the plant’s culinary and medicinal uses in China go back three thousand years.
Like many of the greens that are the first to appear in spring, chives are rich in vitamins A and C. They have mild antiseptic qualities and were once used to stop bleeding and as an antidote for poison. Hung in the corners of a room, they were thought to keep evil and disease away.
Chives are also thought to lower blood pressure and, like garlic, might help prevent cancer. Farmers appreciate them as a companion plant, claiming they keep carrots free of greenflies and prevent scab on apple trees and black spot from rose bushes.
Chives are hardy and rarely need much tending other than an occasional dose of liquid fertilizer. The plant prefers a well-draining, rich soil and a good deal of sun. However, it can tolerate partial shade and poor soil without much complaint. This easygoing nature makes it a perfect container plant. Just make sure to water it often.
If growing to use the leaves, remove the flower buds when they appear, for the leaves will turn tough after they bloom.
To ensure your chives live for many years, allow some of the flowers to bloom and drop their seed.
When winter arrives, the plant will die back down to the ground. I find it nice to put a blanket of leaves over it for the winter, but it’s probably not necessary.
To harvest chives, use kitchen shears to snip the greens singly or all of them in one remarkably satisfying cut. The plant can tolerate several full haircuts during the summer as long as you allow it to recover before cold weather arrives. Also, it is nice to enjoy at least one harvest of blossoms, so let a few bloom.
Recipes
Chives have such a long culinary history, it is difficult to improve on the food pairings our ancestors discovered so long ago. The herb is great with eggs, butter, creamy cheeses, potatoes, tomatoes, chicken, and fish and in salad dressings and mayonnaise-based salads. If used in a hot food, such as soup, it is best to add them at the end. They lose their flavor if cooked too long. They also lose their flavor if dried by conventional methods. Dried chives that you get at the store have been freeze-dried and retain their oniony-ness.
When spring finally returns to my corner of Minnesota, I immediately have to start guarding my chives, or else my children will eat each shoot as it appears. If I can keep the kids away from at least two sprouts, I have enough to begin using them in the kitchen.
Creamy Omelette with Chives and Tomatoes
Some say less is more. When it comes to creamy eggs, though, I say more is more, hence the double dose of dairy. When your chives have only recently awakened from their winter slumber, make this recipe with the eagerly awaited shoots. I suggest draining the tomatoes so the omelette’s filling will be melty instead of runny.
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
5–6 onion chives 4 inches in length, snipped fine
2 ounces cream cheese, softened and cut into small pieces
4–6 cherry tomatoes, chopped and drained
In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, salt, pepper, and a splash of water.
Heat the oil or butter in a medium-size skillet over medium heat. When hot enough to sizzle, add the eggs. Allow them to cook through on the bottom. Use a flat-tipped spatula to pull back the edges of the cooked eggs to allow the runny eggs to make contact with the pan. Reduce the heat to medium low.
When the eggs on the top of the omelette begin to solidify, scatter the chives, cream cheese pieces, and tomatoes on half the eggs. Fold over the other half and continue to cook until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately. Serves 2.
Fish Cakes with Chives
This fish cake recipe is inspired by the one created by the Herb Queen herself, Jekka McVicar. I love the way she cooks the fish in milk because it makes everything so tender. It is a great recipe for when your chives plant is perking up and starting to fill out.
1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and diced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound cod or salmon fillets
2–3 cups milk
1 small bay leaf
1 tablespoon onion chives, minced fine
½ cup all-purpose flour
Butter and oil, such as canola or grapeseed, for pan-frying
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover and place over high heat. Bring the water to a boil and then simmer until tender, about 10–12 minutes. Drain the potatoes, add salt and pepper to taste, and then mash until mostly smooth.
While the potatoes are boiling, lay the fish in a casserole dish or baking pan that can hold it all in a single layer. Pour in the milk until the fish is almost completely covered. Add the bay leaf and cook until the fish is firm and flakes easily, about 12–15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets and type of fish.
Remove the fish from the milk and then separate the flesh from the bones and skin. Use a fork to break the fish into large flakes. Discard the milk.
Gently mix the fish in with the potatoes and 1 tablespoon chives.
Using your hands, form the mixture into small balls. Flatten slightly, then coat the patties in flour.
Fry the cakes in the oil over medium-high heat. Leave them undisturbed until they just start to crisp and brown. Flip and cook until browned on the other side. Serve immediately with lemon wedges, vinegar, or tartar sauce. Serves 4.
Avocado and Chive Soup with Shrimp
When the days are heating up and you think your chives plant can handle its first haircut, try this simple soup, which is tasty warm or cold.
2 ripe avocados
2–3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup plain yogurt (not Greek)
2 tablespoons onion chives, snipped into ¼-inch pieces, plus more for garnish
2–6 fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Place the avocados, 1 cup of broth, cream, and yogurt in a blender. Process until smooth. You may splash in additional broth if it is too lumpy.
Pour the mixture into a saucepan with at least 1 more cup of broth and the 2 tablespoons of chives. Heat until just warmed through and the chives are fragrant. If you plan to serve it chilled, place the soup in a heat-safe container and cool in the refrigerator.
Heat the oil or melt the butter in a medium skillet. Add the shrimp. Cook until pink and opaque, about 2–3 minutes per side.
Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with the shrimp and chives garnish. Serves 4.
Egg Salad with Chive Blossoms
When I was just out of college, I would throw “Soup and Sandwich” parties for my birthday. My roommate and I would make a ton of different sandwiches and a huge pot of soup. My birthday is in January, so offering soup was a surefire way to get people to leave their warm homes. I love this sandwich, and if I ever do another Soup and Sandwich party, this sandwich will be the centerpiece.
You will want to use chives blossoms that recently opened and haven’t yet formed seeds. If you would prefer to make this sandwich in a way that is not so “fancy,” go ahead and mix the chives blossoms into the egg salad and omit the butter. Please feel free to cook the eggs with your preferred method.
6 large eggs
2 tablespoons salt and more to taste
2 tablespoons mayonnaise, or to taste, plus more for edging
1 stalk celery, minced
12 slices white bread
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
4 fresh onion chives blossoms, rinsed, dried
Black pepper to taste
Place the whole eggs in a saucepan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Add cold water and tablespoon of salt, and set to boil over high heat. Once the eggs have reached the boiling point, remove the pan from the heat. Allow the eggs to sit in the hot water for 15–20 minutes. Drain the eggs and then immediately refill the pan with cold water. Keep adding new cold water until the eggs are cool enough to handle.
Crack and peel each egg under cold running water. Place all the shelled eggs in a large bowl. Mash them with a fork until the eggs are almost smooth in consistency. Add the mayonnaise, celery, salt, and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Carefully tug apart each chive blossom into its individual flowers. Scatter them evenly on a plate and set aside.
Gently butter one side of each bread slice. Spread a layer of egg salad on 6 slices. Top with the remaining slices. Use a serrated knife to slice the crusts off each sandwich. Then, depending on the size of the bread you are using, cut the sandwiches into thirds or triangles.
Carefully spread mayonnaise along the edge of one side of each sandwich, and dip that side onto the plate of chives blossoms.
Arrange the completed sandwiches on a serving platter. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Serves 6–8.
Homestyle Bo Ssam
If you ever think your chives plant needs a serious haircut, make this dish. Bo ssam is Korean pulled pork. I first heard about it when the hip New York City restaurant Momofuko shared its recipe with the New York Times. It is a habit-forming way to eat pork and is a great food for a crowd. Unlike the party-ready egg salad sandwiches I just told you about, I’m going to show you how to make bo ssam into a simple affair. The taste, however, is still worth celebrating. This recipe serves 2–4.
Grocery stores in North America are starting to offer more Korean food staples, like kimchi. However, you might need to visit an Asian or specialty grocery to find ssamjang and gochujang (also spelled kojuchang)—important ingredients in the dressing. You can also order them online or even make them yourself. I’ve always had good luck following the recipes on Maangchi.com.
For the pork:
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1½ teaspoons mirin
½ teaspoon gochujang paste
1½ teaspoon rice vinegar
1½ pounds pork butt or shoulder, cooked and shredded, fat removed
Preheat oven to 450°F. Stir together all the ingredients, except the pork, in a medium bowl. Add the pork and mix until the meat is evenly coated.
Scatter and separate the pork mixture on a sheet pan lined with foil. Place the sheet pan in the oven and cook until shreds of pork begin to crisp and brown. Remove from the oven, cover with foil, and keep warm until ready to serve.
For the sauce:
½ cup (or all that your plant can give—up to ¾ cup) minced onion chives
¼ cup scallions (or less if your chives had a lot of leaves), thinly sliced
¼ cup ginger, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons ssamjang
1 teaspoon gochujang, or more to taste
1½ teaspoons soy sauce
½ cup rice wine vinegar
¼ cup peanut or grapeseed oil
Mix all the ingredients together. Chill until ready to use. It can be made a day ahead too.
For the meal:
Here is where you can decide to go party mode or homestyle mode. Place everything in a separate serving dish and set in the center of the table so each person can customize their meal.
1–2 heads bibb or Boston lettuce, leaves separated, washed and dried
3–4 cups cooked white rice
1 small English cucumber, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch matchsticks 2 inches long
1–2 cups kimchi, or to taste
For the party method, take a leaf of lettuce and top it with a little rice, pork, cucumber, kimchi, and sauce. Carefully fold up the sides and pop the whole packet in your mouth. Repeat.
For the homestyle method, scoop a portion of rice into each person’s bowl. Tear a few leaves of lettuce on top, then add pork, kimchi, cucumbers, and a generous amount of sauce. Stir together and enjoy.
In the language of flowers, chives mean “usefulness.”
Bouquet Garni for Fish
Chives have a unique shape that makes them useful as a tool as well as a food. When the greens are long enough, they can be used to tie together bouqets garnis, especially ones for fish soups, which don’t require long cooking times.
2–4 onion chive stems or stems with unopened flower buds, 12 inches long
2 sprigs Italian parsley
2 fronds of dill, 6 inches long
2 sprigs lemon balm
Lay the chives stems horizontally across a clean, dry work surface. Lay the rest of the herbs perpendicular across the chives. Carefully wind the chives around the other herbs and tie the ends in a double knot. Use immediately in the fish soup recipe of your choice.
Resources
“Chives: Planting Growing and Harvesting Chives.” The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Accessed September 10, 2017. https://www.almanac.com/plant/chives.
Cutler, Karan Davis, and Kathleen Fisher. Herb Gardening for Dummies. Foster City, CA: IDG Books Worldwide, 2000.
Divock, Rosemary. Growing and Using Herbs in the Midwest. Amherst, WI: Amherst Press, 1996.
Grieve, Maude. “Chives.” In A Modern Herbal. New York: Dover, 1971. Electronic reproduction by Ed Greenwood at Botanical.com, 1995. Accessed September 10, 2017. http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/c/chives65.html.
Hollis, Sarah. The Country Diary Herbal. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1990.
McVicar, Jekka. The Complete Herb Book. Buffalo, NY: Firefly Books, 2008.
———. Jekka’s Herb Cookbook. Buffalo, NY: Firefly Books, 2011.
Schlosser, Katherine K. The Herb Society of America’s Essential Guide to Growing and Cooking with Herbs. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2007.
Sifton, Sam. “The Bo Ssam Miracle.” New York Times Magazine, January 12, 2012. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/15/magazine/the-bo-ssam-miracle.html.
Spungen, Susan. “Tea Sandwiches.” Oprah.com. Accessed September 15, 2017. http://www.oprah.com/food/tea-sandwiches.