Chive Salad (Schnittlauchsalat)

German chive salad is a bright and flavourful accompaniment to any meal. If you've got a clump of chives in your yard, you can have this zesty salad on the table in minutes. It's great alongside a sandwich, cold cuts, fried potatoes, or as part of a grilled summer dinner.

The first thing every spring, I like to make this simple, German chive salad (Schnittlauchsalat). Along with the rhubarb (and the dandelions), those little green spears of chives are the first brave plants to pop out of the ground.

As the summer goes on, my steadfast bunches of chives keep regrowing and blooming several more times so we can continue to enjoy this fantastic little chive salad with our favourite sandwiches, alongside a piece of fried fish or grilled meat, or with a simple spread of cold cuts, cheese, and bread. Schnittlauchsalat also makes a tasty lunch accompanying a heaping pile of pan-fried leftover potatoes, as it is often served in its native Saarland region of Germany.

If you thought chives were only useful for a garnish, prepare for a new culinary experience. Chive salad is simple and surprising - made with only a few ingredients but loaded with piquant flavour. Some versions omit the eggs, but I find they are the perfect foil for the zippy bite of the chives (which is tempered by the acidity in the dressing, so it's not nearly as sharp as you'd think). They also add protein to make the salad a more nutritionally complete side dish.

This unique German salad is a fantastic addition to your summer salad repertoire.

What You'll Need for a Simple Chive Salad

You'll need just a few things to make a deliciously zesty chive salad:

• chives - the main ingredient. If you haven't got a clump in your garden or by your back door, I suggest you might want to plant some, even in a pot. They are very easy to grow.
• eggs, hard-boiled - I always like to boil a few extra and have them on hand for a quick sandwich or addition to a salad.
• oil - use a neutral, flavourless one here, so it doesn't overpower the salad (save your extra virgin olive oil for other dishes). Use sunflower oil, avocado oil, vegetable oil, grapeseed oil, etc.
• vinegar - white wine vinegar or another mild vinegar works beautifully here (even red wine vinegar).
• mustard - a mittelscharfer (medium-sharp) German mustard is traditional. Dijon mustard is a good substitute.

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Guten Appetit!