Olive oil infused with chives, perfect for vinaigrettes, salads, or roasted/grilled vegetables.
This is barely a recipe. But then, I have barely a kitchen, what with the remodel.
The refrigerator is shoved up against a wall in the living room. Dishes are done in the bathroom sink. Coffee is set up nearby on the only counter we have in the entire house. Thankfully, the unseasonably dry, warm weather has permitted meal preparation on a large, sturdy table on the deck, and the grill has been a lifesaver. Ditto the microwave/convection oven that now lives in Myles’ office/man cave, and the slow cooker that sits on the floor in the living room next to a jumble of 22 stacked boxes of kitchen stuff.
This chive oil is an easy little condiment that’s great for adding to vinaigrettes, potatoes, legumes, or basting almost anything roasted or grilled. I keep it in the refrigerator – it lasts about a week before the chives begin to deteriorate. If you strain out the chives at some point during the week, I recommend keeping the oil in the refrigerator as well.
Chive Oil
Ingredients
- 1 bundle of chives about 1/4 cup when chopped
- 2/3 cup good olive oil
Instructions
- Mince the chives as finely as possible.
- Place in a jar with the oil, and let sit for one day before using. Over time, the chives will infuse the oil even further.
- Refrigerate and use within one week. Strain the chives out at any point, or not at all. It's completely up to you. I tend to leave them in and add the chives and oil to vinaigrettes, salads, and roasted vegetables and legumes all week.
Tomorrow I’ll post how I used them on a pickled beet salad!
Meanwhile I thought you might be interested in the progress of our new kitchen.
First to go: the skinny counter that bisected the kitchen from the eating area.
Next up: rip out the tile floor
But the house is over 100 years old, and the floor was REALLY sloped, in more than one direction. So a LOT of time was spent getting it (more) level.
Finally a nice new floor of wood planks.
Even in my tiny office off the kitchen.
Some new cabinets went in yesterday to replace some of the storage room I had in the skinny counter that came out from that wall.
And a new hutch for a tiny, tiny hallway between the kitchen and the man-cave.
Thank goodness for warm, dry weather, since the deck is packed with stuff for the project. It’s also my only food prep area available right now.
Next up for next week: new sink, cabinets over the sink, counter, range, refrigerator, and this new tile for the backsplash gets installed.
All in all, it’s been a busy two weeks, with maybe two more weeks to go. Now the schedule is up to the cabinet maker – fingers crossed. Wish us luck 🙂
Lynda says
Good luck! The floor looks great. Can’t wait to see the rest!
The Wimpy Vegetarian says
Me too!
apuginthekitchen says
I love your chive oil, would love to dip some warm bread. It would be really good on potatoes. Great idea, love flavored oils.
Your kitchen is coming along beautifully, looks great and soon you will forget the inconvenience while standing in your gorgeous new kitchen.
lizthechef says
Your house reminds me a bit of ours – I LOVE the planked floor and your cozy office, perfect for you, Susan. Hang in there!
Laurie Dupree says
Oh Susan, looks like it will be beautiful when finished, but better you then me….guess if WE did it, we’d have to set up David’s “R.E.I Supply Store” he has stored in the basement, and live in tents for a month!! At least my boy’s are campers….I’d just vacate to Hilton Head and stay there till it was over! ;)) lol Be sure and update when you are finished!
cheri says
Oh Susan, it is going to be wonderful, I can tell, so much charm. Love the color of the flooring and the cabinets. Good luck with the next couple of weeks.
laurasmess says
Whoa! What a remodel! Exciting stuff, albeit inconvenient at the moment (I hate being stuck in a house under renovation, it’s happened three times now!). It’s going to be amazing when finished! Love this chive oil concept. I often infuse oil with different herbs and spices but I’ve never used chives before. Inspired, I can imagine how good this would be with scrambled eggs or a potato mash! Yum. Good luck with the rest of the overhaul! x
Mary @ Fit and Fed says
Good thing you’ve been able to grill and use the deck, your kitchen is quite the project! I’m glad you at least have the floor done now and can walk around in there. I could see using that chive oil in so many things, very nice easy spring recipe!
Laura says
Hi Susan,
I really admire your ability to write anything coherent while remodeling your kitchen.
Love the chive oil! Keep up the great work you do with your recipes. They are all great.
Chef Laura
mjskit says
Oh the dust, the grime, the noise!!! I have so much empathy for you right now Susan. I know what you’re going through. Just keep reminding yourself that it will all be worth it when it’s done. 🙂 Love the hutch! I’m assuming you’ll carry that same style into the kitchen. That’s going to be very pretty!! Love the chive oil! You just reminding me to add chives to my list of plants for my new garden this.