What to do with an over abundance of chives

[larry_stewart]

I'm growing chives in a half barrel, they have just flowered, seeds have dropped, and now I need to give them a decent trimming . Normally I just toss whats i dont use into the compost, but Im sure i can make use of the excess chives. Do they dry or freeze well? If not ,whats else can I do with them to either store for later use, or cook with as a main ingredient to get rid of them?

 

[blissful]

I dried them on a low temperature 120 degrees F in the dehydrator. Then snipped them. They will stay green that way. Use them on baked potatoes, use them in pesto, and use them in green goddess dressing.


In the past, I dried them at a high temperature and they dried out too much and were like grass. Probably not the best idea.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Definitely dry them, they can then be used as you would fresh in any cooked dish. I just snip them onto a paper towel on a plate and let them dry, I have spice jars to keep them in.

 

[taxlady]

I freeze them. They won't have the same texture, but they work in dressings and mixed into the sour cream for potatoes, etc. I freeze them in bundles about an inch in diameter. When I want to use them later, I snip off as much as i need, without thawing them and put the rest back in the freezer


BTW, they have more flavour if you harvest them before the flowers make seeds.

 

[CakePoet]

Freeze them, we used to do that all the time , when I was little, perfect for winter time.

 

[Kayelle]

I freeze them. They won't have the same texture, but they work in dressings and mixed into the sour cream for potatoes, etc. I freeze them in bundles about an inch in diameter. When I want to use them later, I snip off as much as i need, without thawing them and put the rest back in the freezer


BTW, they have more flavour if you harvest them before the flowers make seeds.

Love that idea Taxi..I just adore chives in so many things, freezing them in bundles for snipping sounds perfect. For me, the crowning glory of a baked potato is chives. Chives snipped into a perfect French omelet is perfection. I could go on and on...

 

[taxlady]

Love that idea Taxi..I just adore chives in so many things, freezing them in bundles for snipping sounds perfect. For me, the crowning glory of a baked potato is chives. Chives snipped into a perfect French omelet is perfection. I could go on and on...

They are nice, eh?


I guess I don't really "snip" them. I just cut across the frozen bundle with my chef's knife to make the little "rings".

 

[larry_stewart]

All great ideas!!
I have so many Ill probably try all of them

 

[Rocklobster]

Do you eat butter? Chive butter is good..melt it on anything

 

[jennyema]

I freeze them. They won't have the same texture, but they work in dressings and mixed into the sour cream for potatoes, etc. I freeze them in bundles about an inch in diameter. When I want to use them later, I snip off as much as i need, without thawing them and put the rest back in the freezer


BTW, they have more flavour if you harvest them before the flowers make seeds.

This.

I used to have a ton of them but my yard guy removed them by mistake …

 

[Dawgluver]

I freeze them too. I've also made chive pesto, tasty, but boy was it “chivey”.

 

[Caslon]

I "flash freeze" chopped chives in my regular fridge freezer. I spread them out on a cookie sheet and place it in the freezer. It freezes them quicker than freezeing them bunched together. They last quite a while.