Chives grow in clusters, which is why they are usually referred to in the plural. They taste of mild onion, while Chinese chives, also called garlic chives, taste of garlic.
Chives are related to garlic and onions and are the smallest member of the family. Their leaves flavor many dishes, they are a common herb in gardens and they are easy to find in grocery stores. The flowers are edible too.
Curious facts about chives
Chives have been known since very early times, but they were probably not cultivated until the Middle Ages.
Chives are grown for their leaves, which have a subtle onion flavor and are used in soups, salads, fish dishes, sandwiches, sauces and vegetable dishes. They are one of the French fines herbes; chervil, tarragon and parsley are the others.
They are said to be the only member of the onion family native to both the Old and the New World.
How to identify chives
Chives have pretty, round, pale purple flower heads and long, thin, hollow, tubular leaves that can grow up to about 1 foot (30 cm) tall. The plant flowers in late spring and early summer, and the seeds ripen in summer.
Chives are easy to find: they are sold fresh in most grocery stores year-round, and in pots at some markets. Growing chives in a home garden is pretty straightforward.
How to use and store chives
Chives are best used fresh. Snip the leaves into dishes for flavor and color. Their mild onion flavor goes beautifully with sour cream and cream cheese. Chives are also made into herb butters, and they are often used with scrambled eggs and potato salad.
Chives are used in sauces like rémoulade and ravigote, and in the Swedish mustard and dill sauces served with herring. They can be sprinkled over soups, like vichyssoise, and used as a garnish for many salads.
Chives don't dry well, but they freeze well, so gardeners can store large harvests from their own kitchen garden.
How to grow chives
Chives need rich, well-drained soil and plenty of sun. They thrive in the temperate regions of Europe and North America.
Chive seeds germinate at 60 to 70°F (15 to 20°C) and need to be kept moist. In cold climates, start them indoors and plant them out when the seedlings are at least four weeks old. Or skip this step by planting out a pot of chives bought at the market.
The leaves die back in winter, but the bulbs survive and new leaves appear in spring. When the plant starts to look tired, cut it back to 1 to 2 inches (2 to 5 cm); this is also the best way to harvest the leaves.
Cooking with chives
Cottage cheese or sour cream with chives is a popular topping for baked potatoes, and chives brighten up potato salad. Because of their mild onion taste, chives are a popular garnish; try one of the recipes with chives.
Potato and chive pancakes: Cook 4 grated potatoes in boiling water for 2 minutes, drain well and mix with some chopped chives, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 tablespoon heavy cream and 2 tablespoons grated cheese. Shape into small rounds and fry in olive oil until golden on both sides.
Chive substitutions: if a recipe calls for chives and you don't have them, replace 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives with:
- 1 tablespoon chopped green tops of scallions
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic chives, for a garlic flavor
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic scapes, for garlic flavor and crunch
- 1 teaspoon dried chives, though they are not as flavorful