Hello everyone! Jess here. I wanted to focus on the pick-your-own herb garden at Springdell this week, as there are some lovely things growing over there ready for the picking!
Take, for example, these chive flowers. The more you pick, the better the chives will flourish throughout the season! But what do we do with them once they come home?
Well, one thing these guys have going for them is aesthetics. They’ll keep quite happily in a glass of water at room temperature. But you can also eat them! They have a sharp flavor, not too much unlike the stem of the chive itself, but with a little more of an onion taste. They are not only lovely in dishes, but delicious!
Before I prepare these for any cooking, I’ll soak them in a bit of vinegar or salt water and scare any critters away. A quick rinse and you’re ready for some clean eating! I have tried dishes where the whole flower is used, but I usually find them a bit too strong for my liking. Toss these just about anywhere where onions or scallions usually play a role.
I separate the flowers by pinching them off the bulb.
In this recipe, I mashed the chive flowers with some fresh goat cheese, about 1 full flower bulb’s worth per ounce of cheese.
After forming the cheese into a ball with the help of a large spoon, I set it on the plate and used the back of the spoon to press it a little flat. Next I drizzled some honey and sprinkled a few of the chive flowers on top.
This is a nice combo as the strong taste of the flowers is mellowed a bit by the cheese, and the honey provides just a tinge of sweetness where needed. This is a simple and elegant sweet treat for any occasion!