Goat Cheese with Chive Flowers and Honey


Hello everyone!  Jess here.  I wanted to focus on the pick-your-own herb garden at Springdell this week, as there are some lovely things growing over there ready for the picking!  

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Take, for example, these chive flowers.  The more you pick, the better the chives will flourish throughout the season!  But what do we do with them once they come home?

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Well, one thing these guys have going for them is aesthetics.  They’ll keep quite happily in a glass of water at room temperature.  But you can also eat them!  They have a sharp flavor, not too much unlike the stem of the chive itself, but with a little more of an onion taste.  They are not only lovely in dishes, but delicious! 

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Before I prepare these for any cooking, I’ll soak them in a bit of vinegar or salt water and scare any critters away.  A quick rinse and you’re ready for some clean eating! I have tried dishes where the whole flower is used, but I usually find them a bit too strong for my liking. Toss these just about anywhere where onions or scallions usually play a role.

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I separate the flowers by pinching them off the bulb.  

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In this recipe, I mashed the chive flowers with some fresh goat cheese, about 1 full flower bulb’s worth per ounce of cheese.  

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After forming the cheese into a ball with the help of a large spoon, I set it on the plate and used the back of the spoon to press it a little flat.  Next I drizzled some honey and sprinkled a few of the chive flowers on top.  

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This is a nice combo as the strong taste of the flowers is mellowed a bit by the cheese, and the honey provides just a tinge of sweetness where needed.  This is a simple and elegant sweet treat for any occasion!

 

 


About Jess

Jess Anderson is the creator of CSA|365 and is passionate about the local food movement. A long time member of Springdell and a busy mother of two, Jess loves keeping her family fed by honest local food.