Edible Flowers: Caesar Salad with Chive flowers

On Saturday I was asked if I had ever used flowers in salads. Flowers in salads? NOooOOo.

I left it to that and went about my week-end activities, visiting friends on their allotment where I notice that some people grew Marigolds close to their vegetables. Could that be because they eat flowers too?

That was it! my curiosity had been pricked with consequences....

I am a little careful careful picking things "willy, neely" from the garden since I mistakenly cooked next door neighbour's weed, genuinely believing they was chard, almost poisoning him.

So this time, I opted for the upmarket grocery store in Greenwich, where I was explained that if I wanted to add a romantic touch to my Caesar Salad by adding edible flowers, I could not do so on the spur of the moment. Petals had to be ordered, and I was given a list of "Favorite Edible Flowers for Salads"

Cornflowers
Borage
Calendulas (Marigold)
Carnations
Herb flowers (basil, rosemary)
Aliums (leeks, chives, garlic)
Nasturtiums
Violas, (pansies and Johnny-jump-ups)

I was not going to be discouraged, this time round Chives flowers would do, my research provided me with another couple of tips:

• Pick flowers just before you are going to use them. Wash them quickly in cool water, shake them out and dry on a paper towel.
• Make sure that the flowers are organic or in other term have not been treated with pesticide which rules out almost all garden center flowers (not that I am advising anybody to go the garden center to scissor away their edible flowers)
  
  
  

  It would be nice to see more recipes with edible flowers, they make a dish look rather special and surprise for the taste buds.

Caesar Salad with Chive flowers

• Good quality olive oil
• 1 tsp vinegar (balsamic or flavored)
• salt & pepper
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• 1/2 juice of a lemon
• 1 egg

• chive flowers freshly cut and rinsed
• freshly made croutons
• Romain lettuce
• croutons
• grated Parmesan

Wash the lettuce, spin dry, and cut small, wash the flowers and dry

Make the sauce by whisking all the top ingredients, if you are concerned about using a raw egg, cut it out of the recipe

In a bowl or on a serving plate, place all the other ingredients making sure that the chives flowers are at their best advantage and dress sparingly