Chives . It is a perennial plant of the Aliáceas family, which we generally use in the kitchen as an aromatic herb, raw or undercooked, and can also be grown in a small pot at home. We still preserve our organic chives that we bought three years ago at Biocultura. You can also collect wild chives that grow on the edges of roads and in meadows.
Summary
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- 1 Habitat
- 2 Size
- 3 Part used
- 4 Important Components
- 5 Indications
- 6 Features
- 7 Some of its Uses
- 8 Nutritive qualities
- 9 Nutritional properties
- 10 How to cultivate
- 11 Diseases and problems
- 12 Sources
Habitat
Europe and Asia .
Size
Perennial swamp up to 30 cm.
Used part
The whole plant.
Important components
Volatile oil of sulfur character.
Indications
Food seasoning, it has also been traditionally used as an anthelmintic
.
characteristics
There are many subspecies of chives (Allium schoenoprasum) , but there are also several names that, depending on the region or country, may denominate the same species differently, chives, chives, green onions … for us chives are something else, they are also different the green onion from Argentina , so we are not going to enter the different names or the different species , we will talk about the one that is the common chive, ciboulette for the French. The chive has a small bulb significantly smaller than that of the common onion , although similar in flavor, in any case its consumption is not usual. From it emerge the stems, which is the used part of the chive, are tubular and grow in bunches of several units. In the flowering season, it offers beautiful and aromatic violet flowers that are also edible, providing a characteristic but soft flavor of fresh onion while serving as a decorative element in dishes.
Some of its Uses
The most common use of chives is fresh, those who do not have your chive crop, will find it easily in the refrigerated area, next to packaged salads , in the supermarket . It’s also easy to find lyophilized or dry, but it offers much less flavor and aroma. Chives can be included in a wide variety of dishes, both to provide their delicate flavor and to decorate. With it we can also make multiple dressings, flavored butters, flavored oils , vinaigrettes and other sauces. Given the shape of its leaves, they are also an ideal element to make corsages, using the chive leaf as ‘rope’, which is also edible.
Nutritional qualities
It goes without saying that it is low in calories, hovering around 30 kcal. for every 100 grams, it contains 92% water, about 3% carbohydrates, another 3% protein and fiber . It is also rich in vitamins A, B and C, and in minerals such as calcium , potassium or phosphorus among others. In both professional and domestic kitchens , chives are nowadays a basic ingredient, and a recommendation that we always like to give, if you put it as decoration on a plate, do not leave it aside, enjoy it.
Nutritional properties
It contains sulfur compounds that give it its characteristic aroma, similar to other species in its family (onion and garlic). It is very rich in vitamin C and also contains carotenes, vitamins A and B, calcium and iron . It is stimulating appetite, promotes digestion and has antiseptic properties . the leaves are consumed as a condiment for salads, fish , tortillas or sauces. It does not keep very well. It is preferable to consume it fresh or freeze it. It is a rich seasoning.
How to cultivate
It grows very well in containers. Seed cultivation can be started , when temperatures are warm , in late spring or late summer . It is also very easy to reproduce in spring by division of bushes. It requires constant watering and prefers direct light although it tolerates shade a bit. The leaves must be cut before it begins to flower. Three or four cuts can be made from spring to winter. Although it can withstand the cold , in continental climate zones the plant must be protected from frost.
winter .
Diseases and problems
It does not usually present major problems if it is well paid. It is sensitive to the onion fly , thrips and, when it is too humid, some leaf fungi .
