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History
- Chives belong to the same family
as onions, leeks, and garlic. The Latin name of this species means
'Rush-Leek.'
Although they are native to Asia and Eastern Europe, by the
sixteenth century chives were common plants in herb gardens
throughout Europe.
This species now occupies an extensive area in the northern
hemisphere. It is found all over Europe from Corsica and Greece to
the south of Sweden, in Siberia as far as Kamschatka and also in
North America. The variety found in the Alps is the nearest to the
cultivated form.
The gypsies of ancient times used
chives in fortune telling. It was believed that you should hang
bunches of dried chives around your house to ward off disease.
Ancient Romans believed chives could relieve the pain from sunburn
or a sore throat. Marco Polo is
credited with bringing chives to Europe from China.
The ancient belief claiming that
chives "send up hurtful vapors to the brain" was mere rumor and
never had any foundation to it. Though it's strong scent can
certainly effect your head for a moment.
Growing
Chives & Varieties
- Appearance: These hearty growers
form tubular leaves up to 24 inches high. In late spring they
have lavender, ball-shaped heads of flowers. Both the flowers
and the foliage are edible.
Growing Know-How: Give chives full sun and well-drained soil of
average fertility. Space plants about 18 inches apart. When the
flowers begin to fade, cut them all off at the base of the plant
if you want to prevent them from self-sowing. Some flowers may
appear sporadically through the summer, so keep your eye out for
them - they make excellent cut flowers. In late summer, you can
dig up a plant or two and put them in large pots to keep in a
cool windowsill or light garden for winter harvests. Leave the
pots outdoors until after a few frosts for best indoor leaf
production.
Propagation: Chives are easy to start from seed. Start seeds
indoors 6 weeks before the last spring frost. Set them out when
the weather is mild. Or transplant a self-sown seedling that's
emerged in your garden, or divide a mature plant. Renew older
plants by dividing every 5 years or so.
Cultivars: 'Ruby Gem' has gray foliage and red flowers.
Potential Problems: Plant in well-drained soil to prevent root
rot.
Harvesting and Using: When you harvest the leaves
or flowers, cut them off at the base to keep it looking tidy.
Garlic chives:
An herb similar to Chives, but with a decidedly garlicky nuance,
both in aroma and flavor. Garlic chive leaves have long, thin,
flat stems, whereas the stalks with flowers are round and more
closely resemble regular chives. Open flowers, though beautiful,
are a signal that the chives were picked from a more mature
plant and will not be as tender as those with unopened buds.
They may be snipped with scissors to the desired length and used
in both fresh and cooked dishes. Garlic chives are also called
Chinese chives and ku chai.
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Medicinal
- A good source of calcium, chives are believed to strengthen
nails and teeth when consumed. And there is some evidence that
chives can improve digestion and reduce high blood pressure. The
oil has antibacterial properties.
Cooking
- Chives are usually used fresh
(though you can use dried chives) with baked potatoes, cream
soups, and egg dishes. The leaves add tasty flavors to herbal
butters. They also can be
used to spruce up salads, cream and cottage cheeses and tofu.
You can chop up extra leaves by hand or puree them with a little
oil to make a pesto to freeze.
Use the flowers to garnish salads
or soups and to make lavender-colored vinegars. Be sure to wash the flowers out well, though, because
they may harbor insects.
Chives mix well together with chervil, parsley, and tarragon to
make a savory yet mild blend of herbs you can then add to your
meat substitute marinades, soups, steamed vegetables, cream sauces
and omelettes. Add a 1/4 cup chopped chives to your favorite
biscuit (scone) recipe for an extra lift.
As with most herbs, add chives at the last moment to hot foods,
since heat lessens their flavor.
Recipes
Bacon &
Egg Carbonara
Chicken
And Chive Dumplings
Chicken
Breasts in Chive Cream
Chive
Potato Pancakes with Smoked Salmon & Golden Caviar
Chivey
Squash Cakes
Fresh
Herb & Chive Biscuits
Grilled
Chicken in Olive Oil-Chive Vinaigrette
Herbed
French Bread
Lentil
Rice Pilaf
Orange
Beets with Spice
Oven
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Parsley
& Potato Soup
Piquant
Salmon Rolls
Scallops
with Garlic Chives
Spinach
Fettucini With Ginger Chicken
Springtime Quiche
Sun-Dried Tomato Monkey Bread
Tangy
Blue Cheese Dip
Sliced
Baked Potatoes
more
recipes with Chives
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