Featured Recipe: Chive Blossom Vinegar
Chive blossoms are a short-term crop that come and go in the spring before you can bat an eyelash. Capturing their mild chive flavor in a good-quality vinegar is the perfect way to enjoy them well past their season.
Makes 1 cup
- 1 cup chive blossoms
- 1 cup white wine or white Vinegar
- Harvest the chive blossoms in the spring just after they open. To prepare the chive blossoms, snip off the stems and gently jostle them in a bowl of cool water to remove all dirt and debris. Pile the wet blossoms into the center of a clean, dry kitchen towel, pull up all of the corners to create a sack, and shake vigorously until the blossoms are dry.
- Stuff a clean pint-sized Mason jar with the clean blossoms.
- In a small saucepan, gently warm the vinegar over medium-low heat. Do not bring to a boil. Pour the vinegar over the blossoms, making sure to submerge them completely.
- Once the liquid has cooled, cover the jar with a lid made of nonreactive material such as glass. Alternatively, protect a metal canning lid by first placing a square of waxed paper between the jar and the lid.
- Store in a cool, dark cupboard for a week or two and strain into a second, clean or sterilized jar when the vinegar suits your taste buds.
Variations
Frankly, all herbal vinegars are delicious--experiment with several edible flowers, leaves, and seeds and keep a medley of flavors on hand.