Category: Chives

This simple, vibrant dish is filling and would make a great template to add any herbs and cooked or raw veg to.    Serves 4-6 ... Read more »

I happened to have some leftover pita bread that sparked the inspiration for this salad. This salad is a bit of a springy, non-traditional spin on a Fattoush salad. If you don’t have pita, you could make some toasty croutons instead. It’s a bright and crunchy salad with lots of flavor and texture.   ... Read more »

Salads are superb templates. Sometimes all you need is a few greens lightly dressed. But sometimes a slightly more substantial green salad with crunch, a little sweetness, and maybe a little spice is in order.  In the winter you might make this heartier one.   You will need to taste and adjust your version to balance the tart and sweet and crunch as ingredients vary widely. Add a pinch of sugar if your dried fruit is quite tart.... Read more »

I love combining cooked and raw elements in salads and here the warm, crispy mushrooms are a lovely counterpoint to the bright crunchy slaw.   You can use carrots, kohlrabi, celery, bok choi stems, black Spanish radish or even cabbage in any combination you'd like, however, radishes are too strong on their own so be sure to mix with something sweeter like kolrabi or carrots.... Read more »

Similar to mashing finely chopped herbs into butter to make compound butter, feta can absorb a lot of tender herbs. It's a delicious spread or even dip. If your feta is quite crumbly you can add a little cream cheese, sour cream or even plain yogurt to achieve a creamier texture.   Make however much you want/need. I tend to go heavy on the herbs.... Read more »

Cook a pot of whole grains--barley, farro, spelt, frikeh, rye--and dress it up for any meal of the day throughout the week. The above version uses whole frikeh (parched green wheat from an Oregon Farm) but use whatever robust grain you have.   This springy version with mint, asparagus, lemon and toasted walnuts is particularly wonderful!... Read more »

Asparagus, herbs and eggs go together beautifully. Herbs are tender and prolific when asparagus starts popping up and I use them liberally here. Mix and match to your taste. You can of course vary the ratio of eggs to asparagus and herbs based on what you have on hand. It's a very flexible template. I love making frittatas for potluck and picnics because they're best at room temperature, they're easy to serve as finger food when cut into squares and are quick to make and hold up well. And they're a great last minute dish, using whatever random herbs and veg you happen to have on hand.... Read more »

This is a bright, springy dish that can be a light supper with some good bread or another vegetable or salad. You can omit the lentils. I happened to have some previously cooked little black lentils (which hold their shape beautifully--much like French Green lentils) on hand and like the color contrast with the white beans but the dish doesn't need them to succeed.   You can change the ratio of chicken to beans/herbs using either half a chicken breast or a whole one. A whole one will give you lots of meat per person. You can also substitute thighs for the breast if that's what you have or use up leftover cooked chicken.... Read more »

Dumplings are simple to stir together and if you happen to have sourdough starter on hand, you can employ some of it to make them extra bouncy and moist. The fresh herbs make them particularly flavorful. You can cook dumplings in most any soup, so this is just a suggested combination. Vary the beans, vegetables, stock and herbs to suit your taste and pantry.   Variations Incorporate different beans by using various or a combination of butter beans, cannellini beans, great northern beans, navy beans, garbanzo beans, and/or black eye peas. Red or black beans can be substituted or added to the dish, as well. Cooked or canned beans (drain if using the latter) work well when limited on time. Add them to the soup during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Soaked, and drained, beans, as described below, are highly nutritious and delicious. Great herbs to use, in any combination, is parsley, dill, cilantro, chives, tarragon.  ... Read more »

In the spring when tender herbs are abundant this is one of my favorite things to make. This is particularly quick because there's no need to saute anything first, just fresh herbs, eggs and salt. And leftovers make a delicious sandwich filling!... Read more »

Years ago the wonderful Heidi Swanson of 101cookbooks.com posted a version of this dish that has inspired me ever since. I make variations of this simple concept--a beaten egg in a skillet, covered after a few seconds with a corn tortilla, then flipped over and topped with herbs, cheese, beans, veggies, . . . then folded in half and cooked for another minute.   You can also make these with flour tortillas, if that's what you have on hand or if you want to feed more people. Use at least 2 eggs for a large flour tortilla, and a larger skillet.   Watch a quick video of me making this with my son, if you'd like a tutorial.   I usually use an 8-inch skillet which works perfectly for my 6-inch corn tortillas. You want the skillet to be just a little bigger than the tortillas so the pan contains the egg to the size of your tortilla but still enables you to flip it easily.... Read more »

This is a classic combination and when the ingredients are fresh it's about as beautiful and satisfying as it gets.  You can make this with one egg or with 10--it scales up easily and is a lovely part of any brunch or breakfast menu or just as good as a quick dinner with a good piece of toast, tortillas or some roasted potatoes.... Read more »

Boiled potatoes and chives are a classic combination. And if you have new potatoes just boil them and toss them with salt, butter and chives for a simple, perfect, dish.  Here the potatoes are enriched with a little aioli, garlicky mayonnaise.... Read more »

  --adapted from Around my French Table by Dorie Greenspan   These are simple to make if you have a food processor. It takes 5 minutes to make the batter and a bit longer to fry them but they are so very good. These are enjoyed in Southwest France and I’m sure with variations of herbs and greens, but most typically they are made with chard, parsley and chives. I change up the ratio depending on how much chard I have and how green I want them to be. You can reduce the milk and flour and increase the greens for super green, light pancakes. This recipe makes a lot of pancakes so halve it or make the whole batch and just save some batter for the next day.   They also keep and freeze well and make great snacks. You can experiment with different flours and combinations of flours if you’d like. Half whole wheat flour or whole spelt works well.... Read more »

Carrot salads add bright and fresh flavors year-round and are the perfect foil for the cook-with-what-you-have approach. Cumin, coriander, chili flakes, fresh, hot chilies, lemon, lime (juice and zest), rice vinegar, parsley, mint, cilantro, tarragon, and basil are all wonderful complements to the carrots. Toasted nuts and seeds of many kinds are good too.   You can add white beans to this salad for a more robust version. Make a little extra dressing and you have a great lunch or light supper.   With a simple frittata and a piece of good bread, this makes a lovely dinner.   Serves 4... Read more »

Chives are one of the first things to show up in the spring and they are so sweet and tender. Chives are perennials and pretty hardy and just show up amidst the brown leaves and detritus of winter. They are an allium just like onions, greens onions, leeks and garlic. They are quite mild and add a fresh, vegetal note to most anything.   Chives are a classic garnish for soups such as potato leek soup, delicious in a frittata, and a lovely addition to a salad. Add chives to lemony home-made aioli and then dip asparagus or green beans or any steamed or raw vegetable in it for the perfect spring treat. Chive flowers are edible and a beautiful addition to any salad or egg or fish dishes. They are mild and sweet and have a bit more texture than the chives themselves. [caption id="attachment_3681" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Homemade aioli with plenty of chives is the perfect dip for most any vegetable.[/caption]  ... Read more »