After a long winter, home gardeners and farmers alike are anxious to get their hands in the soil. Checking the beds daily, anxiously watching for the first bits of green, there is nothing more welcoming for me than a clump of fresh chives. The ruby red furls of rhubarb, fronds of lovage, spears of dandelion greens, and bright green bunches of thyme are next to mature. The soil is warming, the birds are back, and just like clockwork, Mother Nature does not disappoint. Spring is finally here.
Garden club plant sales are another joyous rite of spring that one should not miss. With 37 garden clubs across the state of Maine, these non-profit community organizations are members united by an inherent love of gardening: gardeners helping gardeners. For the beginning homesteader and gardener or the seasoned grower, these clubs are a chance to connect with others who love plants, enjoy gardening, and appreciate the natural beauty of Maine.
To locate a garden club in your area, check out the Club Directory Map for the Garden Club Federation of Maine. Here on Deer Isle, the Evergreen Garden Club hosts their annual plant sale this year on May 16 at the Deer Isle town hall. Since January, members like my friend Tony Grisivitch have been cultivating seedlings including five varieties of tomatoes, four different kinds of peppers (now blossoming!), parsley, rosemary, basil, and lavender. In addition to seedlings, when gardeners divide their perennials in the spring, bonus plants like dahlia bulbs, lovage, rhubarb, foxglove, lamb’s ear, begonias, clivia, geraniums, and much more are potted up and available at the sale.
The recipe for Spring Chive Soup is from my archives, and one of my favorite ways to reap the rewards of the season. A vichyssoise, this French inspired potato and leek soup is gluten-free and can be prepared with a variety of spring greens: spinach, kale, Swiss chard, arugula, even dandelion greens and leeks or onions. The delicate flavor of the broth comes from a copious amount of fresh chives, and like a spring tonic, this soup provides powerful nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. We enjoy Spring Chive Soup for a light luncheon, especially good when served with Corn Bread with Chives or a grilled cheese. For a special treat, try this soup poured over chunks of lobster or crabmeat sauteed in butter.
Chives, the smallest species of the onion genus, Allium Schoenoprasum, is a choice edible herb, and the only Allium native to both the Old and New World. Here in Maine, chives grow as perennials, and self-seed wildly throughout the garden. Garlic chives, which differ slightly in flavor, and the purple blossomed chives, will both be available at the Evergreen Garden Club plant sale.
The work of these garden club members is truly a labor of love, and stems from an inherent joy in sharing the bounty of the earth. Now that spring has finally arrived, visit your local plant sale or nursery, expand your knowledge, plant an herb or vegetable garden, or add to your perennial garden. Experience the wonder and joy of growing and cooking your own food.
Spring Chive Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- 3 medium potatoes peeled and cubed, about 3 cups or 1 ½ pounds
- 3 cups chopped greens and onions spinach, chard, kale, leeks, dandelion greens
- Maine sea salt and fresh pepper to taste
- ½ cup chopped fresh chives plus more sprigs for garnish
- 1/3 cup heavy cream optional
- Sour cream to garnish optional
Instructions
- Assemble ingredients and tools. Chop the garlic and set aside. Peel and cube the potatoes and set aside.
- Coarsely chop the greens and set aside.
- Chop the chives, reserving a few for garnish and set aside.
- In a heavy soup pot, heat the butter or oil and add the garlic. Cook to soften, stirring frequently. Add the chopped greens and onion and stir to coat. Stir and cook the greens until they start to soften. If they stick to the bottom of the pot, add some stock.
- Add the stock and the potatoes and bring the mixture to a boil. Simmer, stirring frequently, until the potatoes start to soften and break down, about 10 – 18 minutes.
- Puree the soup in the bowl of your food processor or blender, working in small batches. Or use an immersion blender to produce a creamy, smooth soup.
- Puree until smooth.
- Return the mixture to the pot. Stir in the cream and chopped chives. Season the soup with Maine sea salt and fresh pepper.
- Serve the soup warm in heated bowls and garnish with a sprig of fresh chives and a dollop of sour cream if desired.
Nutrition