Thursday, June 6, 2013

Chive blossom vinegar on a sneezy Thursday





Pollen season is here.  I am sneezing my way through the days and nights, but also admiring the slow growth of my chive plant.  Once upon a time, I had a very small chive plant.  I have babied it like you wouldn't believe, but it never grew those stupendous blossoms other people had.  This year, a little better, but only enough for a fat handful or two of those pretty little purple blossoms.  I was eating my lunch on the terrace, looking at the blossoms, when I suddenly realized this was the day!  The blossoms were full, the sun was out, so I grabbed my scissors and snipped away.  And I made, as I always do, Chive Blossom vinegar.

I used to steep the blossoms in the sun in a jarful of white and apple cider vinegar, but too many times we had stormy weather - rain and clouds, gloom and fog.  I hit on a method that is quick and pleasing, and guarantees at least one bottle of that rosy, onion-flavored condiment that is fresh and ever so slightly onion-y from your little garden.  It works wonderfully in salad dressing, or marinades for the grill, but make sure you keep it in a corked bottle in the fridge, since it is basically a puree from a juicy, fresh plant.

To make:

1 or 2 cups chive blossoms, pulled off  or snipped from a blooming chive plant

Place the chive blossoms in a blender, then cover with half apple cider vinegar, and half white vinegar.  Blend on Liquify.

Pour the liquid, blossoms and all, into a glass jar and screw on the lid, making sure the vinegar does not touch the metal of the lid.

Place the jar in the sun for a day or two, or until it turns a lovely, gentle pinky-purple.

Using a plastic funnel lined with a coffee filter,  strain the vinegar into a bottle or jar and store in fridge.

That's it!  You are now a proud owner of a coveted Spring tradition - fresh chive blossom vinegar.  Enjoy!





6 comments:

  1. My chives are ready and so am I! Thanks for a great idea, Kat. I'll give it a try soon.

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  2. Well, there you go, Donna! Fabulous taste, and great for people like me who don't do so well with raw white onions, which tend to be harsh. The chive blossom vinegar is quite bold in taste, but subtle. Delighted you enjoyed - thanks!

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  3. Oh dear..and this is the first yr my chive plant is misbehaving:(

    Ratty little thing with grass growing in it..Hope it didn't hear me say that..but I am even wondering if she will bloom!:(

    Love the look of this so much..I could just be happy looking at it..not even tasting..:)

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  4. Nana - the taste is subtle, fresh onion, so it's a nice vinegar for salads without the harshness of chopped onions. Oh, your plant sounds like mine last year - perhaps it's time to dig it up and move it, or enrich the soil and replant? I knew you'd like this - it's pink!

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  5. Thanks for the reminder to check my chives, use the blossoms, and cut some of them back!

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  6. Most welcome, Debra! I started by just cutting the chives with blossom heads, since they have to be tossed anyway because of that hard inner core - but that was too tedious:) Popped the heads, cutting down 2/3 of the plant today:(

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