Chive Blossom Vinegar

When the chive section of your herb garden blooms those beautiful, light purple flowers, pick them and make a jar of Chive Blossom Vinegar. This bright pink vinegar has a light, mellow onion flavour and is a great ingredient for all kinds of recipes!

It’s so easy to think of fresh chives as only a garnish. Many times, that’s how they are used and presented. But, I’m here to tell you that chives have so much more to offer – including, but not limited to, this Chive Blossom Vinegar recipe!

Since I started growing my own herbs and vegetables, I always had a section or two of chives. I like to use them as an ingredient in my recipes. For example, they add so much freshness and brightness to Marinated Bocconcini and this Garlic Herb Baked Cod. They’re perfect for when you want just a little onion flavour, but not a whole lot which can overpower a recipe; take a look at this Chicken and Potato Salad, for instance! I even used dried chives to add flavour and texture to these Cheese Balls at Christmastime!

Chives are perennial plants, so they will die back in the winter and regrow in the spring. If you grow your chives in pots, it’s important to note that you will need to divide them and transplant them into separate pots every few years. Chives will continue to grow year after year and become quite congested. Dividing is a great way to give them breathing space. To be quite honest, I find that the new growth in the spring from a plant that has been dormant all winter yields a larger blossom harvest.

I do find that the tops of chives can die and brown quite quickly, especially in a hot, humid summer. It can also happen if you’re plants are being over-watered. You can fix it quite easily though. Grab your kitchen scissors and chop the entire plant off, leaving about 1/2 an inch left in the ground. In about two weeks, you’ll have a fresh batch of chives ready for the picking!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

• Chive Blossoms – You will need enough blossoms to completely fill the jar or bottle you are using for steeping. I used a glass bottle that holds one cup of liquid, so in this case, I needed a slightly heaping cup of chive blossoms.
• White Vinegar – Please use white vinegar! If you use flavoured vinegar, you will muddle the flavour of the chives. You will need one cup of vinegar for every cup of chive blossoms.

HOW TO MAKE CHIVE BLOSSOM VINEGAR

Place the freshly harvested chive blossoms into a bowl of cold water. Gently swish them about to remove any dust, dirt, or debris. Next, transfer them to a salad spinner and remove the excess water. Place the blossoms into a mason jar or a bottle as you see in the photos. If you need to push the chives down to get them to fit, go ahead and do so. Set the jar aside.

Next, place the vinegar in a saucepan and over medium heat, bring it to a boil. Once boiling, turn off the heat and pour the hot vinegar into the bottle with the chives. If you are using a bottle, it’s a good idea to use a funnel to prevent the vinegar from spilling.

Seal the bottle or jar and set it in a cool, dark pantry for 3 days to steep. Once steeped, you can remove the chive blossoms by straining the liquid through cheesecloth or a fine mesh sieve. Store sealed in your pantry.

USING CHIVE BLOSSOM VINEGAR

As previously mentioned, Chive Blossom Vinegar has a mild onion flavour combined with the tartness and bitterness of white vinegar. One of the best uses is in salads. Combine the vinegar with olive oil, salt, and pepper for a wonderful vinaigrette. Toss with salad greens for a quick and easy, deliciously simple side salad.

Pour the vinegar into sour cream or mayonnaise to thin it out slightly. Add your other favourite ingredients, such as fresh chopped chives, minced garlic, fresh parsley, etc., for a bright and fresh summer dip.

Don’t put that bottle away just yet! Try adding your homemade vinegar to your favourite marinades and your family-favourite potato salad! Another great way to use the vinegar is in a quick pickle recipe. Try adding thinly sliced zucchini to the vinegar with a little bit of sugar. Pop the jar into your fridge for a few days and wait for the magic to happen! Those zucchini pickles are great on sandwiches or served as a side to pizza!