My favorite herb flavored vinegar to make uses Chive blossoms. You can only make it at the beginning of the season when chives bloom in their lovely pinky purple flowers. On a good year I can get a jar or two of vinegar from my plant at the house, so this year, although late, is exceptional. The plant has more blossoms than it has in years and I have already collected two jars of blossoms and expect to get two maybe three more.
Why do I love this chive blossom vinegar?
Chive blossoms are an edible flower that tastes great in a salad due to their light onion flavor. For those who find true onions too strong these are a great way to access the flavor without the pungency. The blossoms make a gorgeous pink vinegar that looks good on the shelf as well as lends a wonderful onion flavor and scent to salad dressings, marinades, a vegetable splash, and other dishes where a hint of onion is perfect.
The best part of this year was hubby asked it there would be some soon as he was missing it and wanted to make bean salads with it
How do you make Chive Vinegar?
Making vinegar is one of the easiest things to do and I have detailed the steps before. For chive blossom vinegar you need a jar. I use a canning jar, but many times use Marzetti slaw jars and corn syrup jars to craft vinegar as they fill the shelf so neatly.
Fill the jar half full with vinegar, distilled white is fine, nothing fancy is needed. Just make sure it has a 5% acidity on the label to avoid any bacteria.
Go out to the garden with the jar and begin cutting the blossoms, popping them into the jar. Once you harvest them all you will want to give the chives a hair cut, about 2 inches off the ground to promote good new growth and perhaps more flowers later in summer.
Continue cutting the chives until you fill the jar, then add vinegar to fill the jar to the top. Put on the lid and let it sit.
The vinegar will extract the flavor and color from the blossoms. Even 24 later you will start to see the pink color suffusing the vinegar.
Wait about 2 weeks, strain out the flowers and begin to use the vinegar. Try this great dressing/dip:
Herb Vinegar Salad Dip / Dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
2 Tbls. chive blossom or other herb vinegar
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
1/2 tsp. sugar
dash salt & pepper
Blend ingredients in covered container and allow 4 hours in refrigerator to meld. Can be used as a dip or thinned with 3 T. of milk for salad dressing.
Why do I love this chive blossom vinegar?
Chive blossoms are an edible flower that tastes great in a salad due to their light onion flavor. For those who find true onions too strong these are a great way to access the flavor without the pungency. The blossoms make a gorgeous pink vinegar that looks good on the shelf as well as lends a wonderful onion flavor and scent to salad dressings, marinades, a vegetable splash, and other dishes where a hint of onion is perfect.
The best part of this year was hubby asked it there would be some soon as he was missing it and wanted to make bean salads with it
How do you make Chive Vinegar?
Making vinegar is one of the easiest things to do and I have detailed the steps before. For chive blossom vinegar you need a jar. I use a canning jar, but many times use Marzetti slaw jars and corn syrup jars to craft vinegar as they fill the shelf so neatly.
Fill the jar half full with vinegar, distilled white is fine, nothing fancy is needed. Just make sure it has a 5% acidity on the label to avoid any bacteria.
Go out to the garden with the jar and begin cutting the blossoms, popping them into the jar. Once you harvest them all you will want to give the chives a hair cut, about 2 inches off the ground to promote good new growth and perhaps more flowers later in summer.
Continue cutting the chives until you fill the jar, then add vinegar to fill the jar to the top. Put on the lid and let it sit.
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| 24 hours later, starting to turn pink |
Wait about 2 weeks, strain out the flowers and begin to use the vinegar. Try this great dressing/dip:
Herb Vinegar Salad Dip / Dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
2 Tbls. chive blossom or other herb vinegar
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
1/2 tsp. sugar
dash salt & pepper
Blend ingredients in covered container and allow 4 hours in refrigerator to meld. Can be used as a dip or thinned with 3 T. of milk for salad dressing.
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