From the herb garden

Many of us grow chives in our gardens, on the patio, and in pots. It is an easy plant to grow; my chives start poking out through the last layer of snow! They are not demanding; when I forget to water them, they are just fine, spreading fast and producing the yummy green stems and the beautiful decorative purple flowers (which, by the way, are also edible and can be added to salads). 

What is the nutritional value of chives? They contain some calcium, phosphorus and potassium, as well as vitamins A, C, K and folate, but you would really need to consume a lot to really benefit from the vitamins. However, what chives do have is flavour as well as colour. It can add a new dimension to your breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For breakfast: sprinkle finely cut herbs on your scrambled eggs, omelette, or add them to your favourite savoury muffin recipe. For lunch: they will be an excellent addition to any salad, salad dressing, soup, or sandwich. For dinner: sprinkle of top of ay meats, sauces, fish, and potatoes (baked, roasted or mashed). 

Here are some examples of simple dishes raised to a gourmet level with the addition of chives:

·      Deviled eggs for breakfast: cut hard boiled, cooled eggs into halves lengthwise. Remove the yolks, add salt and pepper, mayo, and lots of chives. Stir well. Fill a Ziploc bag with the paste and pipe it back into the egg while wells. Sprinkle some more chives on top for decoration.

·      Spring salad for lunch: cut tomatoes (red, orange and yellow) as well as cucumbers and avocados into small pieces, add lots of chives. Add salt, pepper, olive oil and vinegar (balsamic or red wine vinegar). Stir and enjoy. You can decorate the salad with the purple chive flowers.

·      Potato side dish for dinner: cook potatoes, mash them well with butter and heavy cream, add salt, pepper, and lots of chives. Pipe on a baking sheet in the form of thick cakes. Bake at 425 degrees until caramelized on top, about 15 minutes.