CHIVES: USE OF CHIVES: RECIPE CREAM CHEESE and CHIVE DIP

CHIVES

Chives are the smallest members of the onion family, and have been grown in British gardens since Elizabethan times. They were grown because they are herbs, and they have flowers, but not only are they attractive and good to eat; they also ward off unwanted insects. They are good to grow in your garden as they can be cut three or four times in a season, and can be saved for winter by chopping and freezing them.

Chives are native to the northern hemisphere and still grow wild in parts of Italy and Greece. They have been cultivated in Europe only since the 1500s. The first recorded use of chives comes from China, and where they were used 5000 years ago.

There are also ‘garlic chives’ or Chinese chives, which have star-shaped white flowers. The chive normally used in cookery has purple pom-pom flowers, something like those of a clover.

The Romans believed that they could cure sore throats and relieve sunburn. The ancient Greeks used them in baths, and in Mediaeval Europe it was thought that hanging a bunch of chives in the house would ward off evil and disease. They have been used in love potions, and in fortune telling, according to some. It is said that gypsies used them to tell fortunes but exactly how they did this has not been reported.

Their medical uses are still under investigation, but preliminary research has suggested that they might help to fight several types of cancer, and have mild antibiotic properties. They have anti-inflammatory properties, so the Romans may not have been wrong to use them as they did.

Chives are rich in vitamins A and C and contain the minerals potassium, calcium and folic acid. They are said to aid digestion and stimulate appetite. Oil from chives is rich in sulphur, as are other members of the onion family.

In cooking they can be used in soups, stews and sauces; as a garnish and in salad dressings. They are one of the ‘fines herbes’of French cuisine, along with tarragon, parsley and chervil. Chives can be added to scrambled eggs to give them a more interesting flavour and make good additions to dips. You can add them to boiled or mashed potatoes, or use them to garnish potato salads. Below is a dip using chives.

CREAM CHEESE AND CHIVE DIP
Ingredients
500 gr cream cheese
½ cup of fresh, chopped chives
1 tbsp olive oil
freshly ground black pepper

Method
Mash together the oil, cream cheese and pepper, and mix until smooth, then add the chives and mix thoroughly. Put in the fridge until required.
This has Taste and is a Treat.

SANDAL, CHANDAL, SANDAL WOOD TREE HISTORY and USES

THE SANDALWOOD TREE, SANDAL, CHANDAN OR CHANDAL

The sandalwood tree is probably native to Indonesia and/or the Indian subcontinent, although there is some evidence to suggest that it was introduced to India some 2000 years ago. It is mostly valued for its fragrance and resistance to insects although it is also used in religious ceremonies and in traditional medicine. In 1792 the Sultan of Mysore decreed that the Sandalwood tree was a royal tree, and as that decree still stands, all sandalwood trees in India and Pakistan technically belong to the government, whether they are on private property or not. Interestingly the trees are never felled but uprooted during the rainy season, so as to get the precious oil out of the roots as well as other parts of the tree.

Hindus have been using a paste made from the sandalwood tree for more than 4000 years, to make the tilak mark on the foreheads between the eyes, where the Third Eye is said to be located. It is mostly used by devotees of the gods Shiva and Vishnu and protects the spot where Hindus believe power resides, as it cools the spot and the smell when combined with that of smoked sandalwood, clears the mind so that meditation can begin. In religious ceremonies the paste from the tree and the ash, represent one of the four elements, earth.

The wood from the sandalwood tree (Santalum album) is burnt at funeral ceremonies to help the departed soul on its ascent to paradise and to give comfort to the grieving mourners.

The sandalwood tree and its spicy, pungent fragrance can ward off evil spirits, but it also attracts snakes. It is a symbol of indescribable sweetness which remains unchanged in spite of danger. In pictures in Hindu legends, it is usually depicted with its trunk completely covered by writhing serpents.

You have probably come cross joss sticks made from the sawdust of the sandalwood tree, or perfumes with a sandalwood base. People waft incense which comes from the sandalwood tree around their homes to keep evil spirits out.

It is used in traditional medicine for many purposes. Its paste, when applied to the forehead will reduce a fever, and it may be mixed with rose water to quench your thirst. An infusion of sandalwood powder mixed with rose water is said to be good for headaches, scorpion stings dry skin, dermatitis, psoriasis, prickly heat, warts and even some skin cancers. Clinical trials are currently being undertaken to see how effective it actually is.

Sandalwood powder mixed with honey, sugar and rice-water is used to aid digestion and treat some digestive disorders. The powdered wood has been used to treat snake bites, and an infusion of sandalwood is used as a mouthwash and a deodorant. Oil from the sandalwood tree can relieve itching and inflammation of the skin.

So far, medical research has shown that the sandalwood tree has antibacterial qualities. It has soothing effects on people who are distressed and /or mentally disturbed and is used to calm them in stressful situations, so if you’re feeling stressed. Or depressed, try lighting a sandalwood candle and see if you feel the benefits of its soothing qualities.

People don’t cook with sandalwood, but there is a concentrated sandal drink- much tastier than orange squash!

CHICKEN JAL FREZI RECIPE

Chicken Jal Frezi

Ingredients

½ kilo boneless chicken breasts

4 onions, sliced

4 tomatoes, peeled and diced

10 green chillies, finely chopped

1 inch ginger root finely chopped and crushed to a paste

6 cloves garlic, well chopped

1 handful of both mint and coriander leaves, fresh

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 cup cooking oil

6 eggs

1 tbsp garam masala (see recipe)

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 curry leaf

1 tbsp thyme

1 tsp turmeric

salt and pepper to taste.

Method

Put chicken breasts into a pan with 11/2 cups of water and boil them until only half a cup of water is left. Remove chicken from the water and allow to cool. Then shred the meat.

Cut the mint and coriander leaves into small pieces and mix half with the eggs and a pinch of salt. Reserve the rest until later.

Put half the sliced onions, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, spices, tomatoes and chillies along with salt and pepper into the remaining water and cook them over a medium heat, stirring until all the water has evaporated. Now add the oil to the pot and stir it into the mixture. Cook for a further2-3 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and the remaining onions and cook on a low heat for 5 mins. Now put the egg mixture into the pot with the other ingredients and cook for 5-7 mins.

Remove from the heat and mix in the mint, coriander and lemon juice, cover it and leave to stand for 5mins.

Now it’s ready to serve. Try it with pitta, chapattis, naan or other breads.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

WHAT IS CHERVIL? CHERVIL SAUCE FOR PASTA RECIPE

CHERVIL

Chervil is native to Eastern Europe, and grew in the Caucasus region. Chervil was spread by the Romans, who, according to Pliny, used it as a green vegetable, and also used the roots as a vegetable. The ancient Greeks referred to chervil as the ‘herb of joy’ and used to make wreaths to put on heads, when a cheerful event was celebrated. It was once called ‘myrrhis’ because its volatile oil smells like myrrh, one of the gifts the magi gave to the baby Jesus according to the Bible. Because of this association it is often used at Easter, and it is also in evidence then, because it symbolizes new growth after winter and the beginning of spring. The oil comes from the seeds and other parts of the plant.

Chervil is one of the ‘fines herbes’ and is also used in bouquet garni along with a bay leaf, a sprig of rosemary and a twig of thyme. It is also one of the herbs used along with lavender in herbes de Provence. When chervil is used to flavour sauces or stews it should be added about 15 minutes before the end of the cooking time, as if it is exposed to too much heat, it loses its flavour. It is known as ‘gourmet’s parsley’, but with its mild liquorice and pepper taste, it doesn’t taste like parsley. It enhances the flavours of the other herbs it is cooked with, and has been cultivated in France for centuries.

The ancient Greeks combined it with dandelion leaves and watercress as a way to combat nutrient deficiency in winter, when there were few green vegetables to be found. Culpeper believed that it was good for digestion, and in folklore it was believed to make men ‘merry’ and sharpen the wit as well as making old people feel young again. In the language of flowers, it symbolizes sincerity.

Chervil has been used in medicine to aid digestion and stimulate the appetite, as a blood purifier and eye tonic. Chervil juice has been used to treat eczema and lower blood pressure. In the Middle Ages the boiled roots were thought to ward off plague, and if you had hiccups, they would stop if you ate the whole plant. It has also been used as an ingredient in dyes and perfumes. Washing your face with chervil water is supposed to maintain the suppleness of the skin and to keep wrinkles at bay.

To make an eye tonic for tired eyes, pour a cup of boiling water over 1 tbsp of fresh chopped chervil, and keep it covered to keep in the volatile oil. Let the chervil steep for 20 minutes and then put some of the liquid on cotton wool and place it on the eyes and leave for 10 minutes. This infusion is also supposed to be good for the skin.

In cookery chervil makes a useful addition to salads, light sauces, chicken, fish and seafood dishes. In Norway and France it is used as a condiment and bowls of freshly chopped chervil are place on the table, to add to meals. It can also be used in herb butters.

CHERVIL SAUCE FOR PASTA


Ingredients

1 cup fresh chervil, chopped

¼ cup pecorino cheese

¼ cup toasted pine nuts (or ones that have been lightly fried in olive oil)

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 tbsps olive oil

freshly ground black pepper

Method

Blend all the ingredients together in a blender and store in the fridge until you want to use the sauce. It will keep for up to 3 days.

This has Taste and is a Treat.