Chives of spring garnish garden and dinner alike

The earth has begun to warm after a cold, dark rest and the air has lost its winter edge.

In nearby woodlands, slumbering morels have been nudged into growth by the gentle April mists, while along fertile river basins thick-piled carpets of wild onions have begun to spread.

In my own garden, clumps of chives, bright green and lush, are appearing in places they never were before, threatening to invade the rutted path my wheelbarrow formed last summer from countless trips between the tomato plot and the back gate.

I love the way they ramble and spread at will each spring, popping up to give life to a particularly dull corner of the garden.

It’s more than chance that these lovely green stalks poke through the winter-ravaged ground when they do – reassuring us that water slides, concerts in the park and ice cream on a stick can’t be far behind.

Typically, the onion is thought of as a hearty, tear-inciting gorilla of a vegetable, but in spring, the onions come on softly: my delicate chives, juicy sweet onions, green garlic and exquisitely hued bunch onions.

I have moved far away from the traditional Chinese hot and sour soup. But over the years, this has come to be the one my family prefers.

It’s strong on bean curd, and completely lacking in bamboo shoots. The green onions are its backbone, their mellow-yet-oniony flavor lifting the broth from commonplace to quite extrordinary.

In late spring, I substitute the plumper, slightly heartier-flavored bunch onion for the simple green onion.

7cups homemade or canned chicken broth

1/2cup rice vinegar

2tablespoons soy sauce (or Kikkoman’s Tempura Sauce)

1-2teaspoons chili-garlic paste

Dash of sesame oil (about 1/8 teaspoon)

1cup chopped green onions or bunch onions (all the white and half the green portions of about 6 green onions or 4 bunch onions)

11-pound block of firm tofu, drained well and sliced into 1/2-inch-by-1/4-inch thick julienne strips

10dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and sliced into thin shreds (see note)

3eggs, lightly beaten

In a large pot, combine the broth, vinegar, soy sauce, chili-garlic paste, sesame oil, green onions, tofu and mushrooms. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the temperature to medium-low, and simmer gently, uncovered, for about 15 minutes to give the flavors a chance to merge and develop.

Adjust the seasonings, adding additional vinegar or soy sauce, if desired.

Just before serving, bring the soup back to a slow boil. While stirring the soup, slowly drizzle in the beaten eggs in a steady stream. They will cook quite quickly in the hot broth and blossom out into feathery strips and bits. Serve immediately.

Note: To reconstitute the dried mushrooms, place them in a deep bowl, cover with boiling water, and let sit about 30 minutes, or until the mushrooms are soft and pliable. To keep the mushrooms submerged as they reconstitute, place a saucer or plate on top and weight it with a heavy object, such as a can or a mug.

Makes 4 servings.

Composed salads became popular in the early 1980s as sophisticated alternatives to the salad bar. This one, with its lovely yellow and red peppers contrasting with the salad greens, is impressive to serve.

4skinless and boneless chicken breasts

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2cups green garlic mayonnase (recipe follows)

2ribs celery, cut into 1-inch-long pencil-thin strips

1/2cup chopped green onions (or bunch onion), white and pale green portions

6cups mixed salad greens (including several leafy varieties, a bit of crunchy hearts of Romaine, and some baby arugula), torn into bite-size pieces

1red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into rings

1yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced into rings

White balsamic vinegar

Extra-virgin olive oil

Season each breast on both sides with salt and pepper, then grill over hot coals until done, or broil, turning once.

When the breasts are cool enough to handle, cut them into 1/2-inch chunks. This can be done up to 48 hours ahead. Cover the chicken and store it in the refrigerator.

Prepare the mayonnaise and set aside.

Combine the cooled chicken (with their juices) with the green garlic mayonnaise, celery, and green onions. To serve, arrange the salad greens equally on 4 plates. Arrange the pepper slices on top of the greens, then drizzle vinegar and olive oil over each portion. Lightly salt and pepper each salad. Finally, spoon one quarter of the chicken salad mixture onto each salad. Serve immediately

Makes 4 servings.

Green garlic mayonnaise: Trim away the root and most of the green portion from each of 2 green garlic stalks (see note), then place the garlic in the workbowl of a food processor and pulse to chop fine. Add 1 1/2 cups good quality mayonnaise (such as Best Foods) and continue processing to mix the mayonnaise with the garlic. Makes about 13/4 cups mayonnaise.

Note: Green garlic is regular garlic at an early phase, plucked from the ground before the root end has had a chance to develop into a bulb.

It will look like young leeks, the foliage flat and long, and the bulb ends relatively straight.

If you cut a cross section through the base near the root end, you’ll see the internal pattern hinting at the cloves beginning to form. Its flavor is relatively mild, with a hint of garlic and suggestion of peppery fire.

Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a Corvallis, Ore., food writer, cookbook author and artist. E-mail her at janrd@proaxis.com.