Chive Cooking Tips - How to cook with herbs

A mention of chives will most likely bring to mind a baked potato with all the trimmings, but there is so much more to this thin, graceful herb. Chives are easy to grow indoors and out, and are also available freeze-dried, making them the perfect year-round herb to have on hand. Do not miss the chive recipes.

Chive Cooking Tips

Hopefully you are growing your own at home in either your garden or a container. If so, you will have a continuous supply by simply snipping off the leaves with scissors down to 2 inches above the ground as needed, rather than pulling them from the soil root and all.

To make the most of the delicate onion flavor of chives and retain the luscious green color in your recipes, use chives raw. If you must cook them, add them last, just before serving. Chives are essential in the classic seasoning fines herbes, which is a mixture of equal parts chopped tarragon, chervil, parsley, and chives.

Do not overlook slender chive spears as a garnish. They are perfect for tying up small bundles of vegetables or puff pastry parcels or dumplings. Or, simply criss-cross small lengths into patterns on deviled eggs or crackers covered with any variety of savory spread.

A simple sprinkling of chopped chives livens up the appearance of a bowl of soup. Chive flowers are a welcome addition to salads and bring a touch of spring as a garnish to any dish.

More about Chives and Chive Recipes:

• Chive Selection and Storage
• The Difference Between Chives and Garlic Chives - FAQ
• Chive Cooking Tips
• Chives and Health
• Chive History
• Chive Recipes
_{Chives Photo © 2008 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.}

Cookbooks

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•	Garlic, Onion, & Other Alliums
•	Herbs & Spices: The Cook's Reference
•	The Herbfarm Cookbook
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