• Chives are the smallest member of the onion family. The part used for culinary dishes is the thin, hollow, tubular leaves that resemble large stalks of grass. Mild in flavor, chives are used in a multitude of dishes, including dips, potatoes, fish and eggs, and is especially prevalent in French cuisine. Chives are also a lovely garnish, whole or chopped.
• Fish sauce is an Asian condiment derived from fermented fish. If that sounds odd, that’s what Worcestershire sauce is; and the ancient Romans’ favorite condiment was a fermented fish sauce called garum.

Different countries have their own ways of preparing the sauce, but anchovies are used most often (in Worcestershire sauce, garum, the nam pla of Thailand and Vietnam, and others); some nations or regions use shellfish (for example, belachan, or shrimp paste, in Malaysia), squid or other small fish.

Chives and fish sauce are used as salad
dressing instead of dipping sauce.
Photo courtesy McCormick.

• Recipe: Try a “Deconstructed” Spring Roll Salad With Pork Hors D’Oeuvres, and taste the fusion of French and Asian cuisine. You can enjoy the chive and fish sauce dressing on many other recipes, too.
• Find more recipes and foods with international flair.