Chive Blossom Vinegar

There hasn't been much going on in my kitchen worth posting about recently since I've been working hard on getting my gourmet menu selected, printing and sent out to our group of five couples.  In a little over one week, we host our gourmet group at our home and, since I work next week, time was ticking to get this done! 

There is one thing that I found I saw recently that I had to share.  Thank you to Valerie at A Canadian Foodie for introducing me to Chive Flower Vinegar.  Luckily, I saw her post and was able to pluck my chive blossoms before they were past their prime last week. 

This will taste wonderful in salad dressings or other recipes where flavored vinegars are used.

The finished vinegar is not only a gorgeous color but the scent is wonderful!

The method is very simple: 

1.  Pick fully-opened chive blossoms.  Allow them to soak in water for a while to remove any debris or tiny creatures that may be hiding inside.  

2.  Put them in a salad spinner to remove all excess water or pat dry with a clean towel.

3.  Pack the cleaned blossoms into a jar (I filled my jar to the top with all the blossoms I had) and then fill with white vinegar to cover the blossoms. Allow to steep in a cool, dark place.  I put mine in the refrigerator.  

4.  Allow the blossoms to steep in the vinegar for about 1-2 weeks and then strain and refrigerate.  (If you are using a jar with a metal lid, place some plastic wrap in between the lid and jar as the acidity of the vinegar could corrode the lid)

Cheddar, Gruyère and Chive Bread

Here is a wonderful recipe from Dorie Greenspan. A savory quick bread loaded with cheese and chives. This recipe comes from Dorie's book Around My French Table. 

I served it last Sunday on an appetizer tray and everyone who tried it loved it. My chives are going strong in the garden right now and I was able to cut a big, fresh handful just for this recipe. Chives are a wonderful herb to grow in the garden and very hardy even in our cold, Wisconsin winters.

 

I decided on Sharp Cheddar and Gruyère cheese to use in my bread.  Dorie suggests several different kinds of cheese that would be suitable. You can also substitute chopped green onions rather than using chives. This is how it looks before going into the oven......

The toasted walnuts added a delightful crunch. 

Cheddar, Gruyère and Chive Bread

Adapted from Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan
Printable Recipe

Note: Before beginning allow the eggs and milk to come to room temperature

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
12-1 teaspoon salt (use less if you are using a salty cheese)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
3 large eggs
1/3 cup whole milk
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup (4 ounces) coarsely grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) Gruyère cheese, cut into very small cubes
1/2 cup minced fresh chives
1/3 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 F. Butter an 8 inch Pyrex loaf pan.

Place the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl and whisk together.

Crack the eggs into a medium bowl and whisk for about a minute, until foamy. Whisk in the milk and olive oil.

Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and gently mix just until the dough barely comes together. Then, gently fold in the cheeses, chives and walnuts. Less mixing is best here! Scoop out the dough into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the bread is golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for about 3 minutes. Then, run a knife around the sides and turn the loaf out. Cool completely on the rack, right-side-up.