Ten Things to Do with the Chives in the Share This Week

We got a nice big bunch of chives in our CSA share last Saturday. What have you been doing with yours? Here's a Top Ten List with a few ideas:

10. Boil some new potatoes, drain, and toss with butter and chopped chives. Duh!

9. Chop some up fine with a little of the cilantro and oregano we got and add it to a two-egg omelet as it is cooking, then grate a little Gruyere cheese over all, and enjoy a fines herbes omelet, as the French would say.

8. Add chopped chives to homemade salad dressing—they are good in vinaigrette, bleu cheese, and even ranch dressing.

7. Make chive butter. Chop ’em up and add ’em to a stick of softened butter, then refrigerate. It’s delicious on steamed vegetables.

6. Add them to a baked potato with sour cream.

5. Cut off the blossoms and toss them in your salad for an oniony taste and some interesting color.

4. If you want to get all fancy, take a few of the longest chives and use them to tie up bundles of cooked asparagus before serving. Oo, la, la!

3. Make vichyssoise (cold potato soup) and top it with chopped chives. Does there seem to be a potato theme developing here? Chives and potatoes just go so well together . . .

2. Roasted beet, grapefruit, and goat cheese salad garnished with chives—it’s colorful, messy, and swoonworthy.

1. And, as David Letterman would say, the #1 thing to do with chives: add them to whipped cottage cheese for a true German delicacy, Schmeerkase mit Schnittlauch. One of the best foods ever. I want some right now!