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Chive Lemon Vinaigrette is a reboot post, brought up from the archives for a new season. It’s a bright fresh addition to springtime menus and if your garden is like mine, this is prime time for chives. I hope you enjoy it!
Chives are a most agreeable herb to grow. This Chive Lemon Vinaigrette is only one reason you should grow them, and it’s a very compelling reason indeed. Plant chives once – enjoy years of delicious flavor and a pretty plant in the bargain.
My current plants vary in age, but the oldest one is around 4 or 5 years old, a fact of which I am certain since that is the age of the herb bed where they now reside. I plant another couple pretty much every year, not because the older plants aren’t producing any longer, but because I like how they look.
I also think they discourage some of the pests that might think about snacking on some of my more vulnerable herbs in that bed – companion planting is a very effective way to keep nasty little critters out of the garden. In my previous garden, I had plants probably 8 or 9 years old and still growing strong – stronger all the time in fact.
You can start chives from seed, though it can be a tedious job – they take a long time to germinate, come up rather sparsely, and just kind of sit there looking spindly for a long time. I have tried to start new plants the past couple years and was unsuccessful both times. I’m trying to get some going in the greenhouse over the summer where I’m hoping to have better luck. And though I do like to start my own plants from seed for a variety of reasons, I see nothing wrong with picking up a pot of nicely growing chives from a local garden center or asking a kind friend to scoop you out a little patch from their own plants. They divide easily and actually seem to benefit from a bit of thinning, so that is the best route in my opinion.
Even if you don’t have an herb or vegetable garden, a little patch of chives is an easy and attractive addition to an existing flower or perennial bed – they even make a nice bunch of pretty purple or white flowers early in the summer. And the more you cut them to use, the better they will grow. Think of them as a gateway plant to growing your own food, if you are looking to get your feet wet in a small way. You can just snip them over whatever you are eating: salads, omelets, stir fry, grilled chicken, potatoes. The mild flavor goes really well with nearly everything.
Chive Lemon Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Juice of 1 large lemon
- 1/2 - 1 clove garlic mashed to a paste [I just run it through the same zester I used for the lemon]
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 5-6 grinds fresh black pepper
- About 1/3 cup olive oil [2 to 1 ratio with the lemon juice]
- 3 tablespoons freshly snipped chives
Instructions
- Use a bowl with high sides to make the whisking easier. You might want to anchor it with a dish towel so it doesn't slide around.
- To the bowl, add the lemon zest [zest the lemon before juicing it], lemon juice, garlic,honey, mustard, salt and pepper.
- Whisk until the salt is dissolved and the honey is completely incorporated.
- Stream in the oil very slowly, whisking all the while, until you get a nice emulsion.
- To develop the fullest flavor, let sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes.
- Just before serving, stir in the chives, as they will darken as they sit in the vinaigrette.
- Serve over salad, lightly steamed or grilled vegetables, or anything you like.
As is the case with most vinaigrettes, you will be able to find a lot of different ways to use this. It is wonderful on a simple salad, like the one above, made from butter lettuce, avocados and a few other additions, as well as a great fast marinade for grilled chicken breasts, and was so good on fresh asparagus, that we made a meal of that alone.So, go plant a little chive patch if you don’t have one already, and in the meantime, check out your local Farmer’s Market or farm stand – chives are one of early summer’s greatest gifts!
Macadamia Lime Blondies
Warm Quinoa and Roasted Vegetable Salad
Savory Chive Cream Cheese Scones
Strawberry Rhubarb Sherbet
Jalapeno Garlic Dill Pickles
Easy Citrus Jam
Brown Sugar Lemon Crinkles
Refrigerator Garlic Dill Pickles
Zucchini and Black Bean Quesadillas
Classic Margarita
Donalyn,
You’ve just made me realize that the little plant in the corner of my herb bed, the thing that I assumed was a clump of wild onions that had wandered in, is more than likely chives that one of my folks gave to me a long while ago. I’ll know for sure when they flower, but in the meantime–thanks for this recipe. It looks just marvelous. My CSA farm share started up this past week and I’m enjoying fresh salad mix after a long winter’s drought.
LOL – glad I could help Kirsten! Sometime this week, we’ll be enjoying a fresh salad from our garden – the lettuce and spinach are both nearly ready to pick!
This looks super tasty Donalyn! And this is my first week of getting your newsletter, so I wanted to say that I love it! I can’t wait to see the next one!
Thanks so much for telling me that Aggie – always appreciated and welcome!
Chives really are rewarding to grow. They keep coming back, and of course have a nice flavor. Great looking recipe – such a nice way to use chives. Thanks.
Thank you John – I use them as much as I can all summer long!
Donalyn, thanks for stopping by my food blog. So good to find a ‘neighbor’ who also likes to write about food. I’ll be checking back to see what you’re stirring up in your kitchen. Thanks for this excellent recipe in which I can use my homegrown chives.
Nice to meet you as well Kathleen & I’ll definitely be stopping by your blog again too!
Chives are one of my favorite herbs to grow too. I don’t use them often, but when I do, it’s so nice to have them on hand and not have to buy a big bunch of them at the grocery store.
I agree Kiersten – and they are SO easy to grow!
Your vinaigrette sounds terrific. The chives in my garden keep getting thicker and thicker. I just pulled lots of baby plants that came up from the blossom’s seeds that got blown through the garden. Even with Maine’s harsh winters, it is the first plant that breaks through the ground each year.
That is the case here as well Karen- a very welcome blast of fresh green stuff in the early spring!
That vinaigrette looks and sounds heavenly! Yum!
Thanks Kiran -I hope you give it a try!
Thanks! I will use this! My Silver Lemon Thyme will also go very well in this! : )
A perfect dressing to go with any green or veggie salad. I’m whipping this up this week for sure.