there will be chives
Tall and slender, slowly swaying, chives are a staple on the edges of my grandparents’ garden. In fact, they’re one of the only things I distinctly remember growing in that garden when I was a kid, probably because they grew around the garden’s perimeter, a swishing border trying in vein to corral the bounty of produce growing behind it. Plus, their pungent scent, oniony and fresh, demanded that you notice them.
They were plentiful, and I’m sure my resourceful grandparents found many uses for them, but I seem to recall only two: snipped into tiny rings, the chives found a way into the nightly dinner salad and, second, the blades that were topped with purple poms were cut and slid into bud vases placed around the house.
The chives we buy at the supermarket are, sadly, not the same: too uniform, too plump, too docile. They’re almost always beheaded, their purple buds shorn away at some prior location. And you can never catch a waft of that eye-watering pungence through the rigid plastic boxes in which they are housed. I buy them anyway, when I’m in a pinch, and they usually taste fine, but as I said, they’re just not the same.
So, I was delighted to see a farmer at the Minneapolis farmers’ market on Saturday morning, standing behind a table piled almost exclusively with chives. They were collected into thick, rubberbanded bundles, wonderfully wild looking (and smelling). Apart from some thin stalks of asparagus and some piles of rhubarb, the chives were one of the only signs of spring on a chilly morning at the market. As my parents and grandparents wandered around the stalls at the market, I couldn’t help but buy a bundle of chives.
I didn’t know it then, but later that day, the chives, left whole (purple buds and all) would top a thinly rolled length of pizza dough lined with thin slices of gruyere. In the oven, they would singe ever so slightly and settle down into the bed of melting cheese. Out of the oven, the flatbread would be dusted with fresh cracked pepper and flaky salt and cut into wedges.
We made quick work of the flatbread, each of us tucking into a slice or two. Later, over dinner we planned a weekend at my grandparents’ house in August. The local blueberry season was the main draw, but if I know that garden, there will be plenty of chives too.
Gruyere & Chives Flatbread
1/2 pound (approximately) of your favorite pizza dough
extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced gruyere
handful chives
fresh-cracked black pepper
flaky salt
Preheat the oven to 425 and lightly grease a baking sheet.
Stretch the dough into a very thin, roughly oblong shape and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle the dough with a thin layer of olive oil (about a tablespoon, total). Top the oiled dough with the gruyere and then the chives. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and the flatbread is golden brown.
Sprinkle with pepper and salt. Cut into wedges and serve.
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Hi! I found your lovely blog, while I was reading, perhaps, from Whipped or Slow Like Honey? Anyway, started reading your chives post, and also remember it on the edges of my parents garden. Nothing like an herb that both decorates and is edible. Also, as I read, I see you were at the Minneapolis market. Do you live here? I am a Minneapolis food blogger as well, kind of a newbie! I am so happy to have stumbled upon your blog and I will be be back for more visits! -Chris Ann
Hello? Yum. I love chives. And cheese. And bread.
I have the most incredible chive bush in our front yard. This is a terrific and delicious way to use them. The flowers are spectacular. Thanks!
Can’t say I’ve ever seen anything like this. It is truly beautiful.
Mmmh … this looks delicious. I just followed your links to your favourite pizza recipe and now that I saw it, I think I might have found it through your page in the first place ~ the dough is the best! One of the comments on the original post suggested baking the pizza in the very bottom of your oven and it worked like a charm for me (after wondering if I had made a mistake following the recipe ~ the dough seemed so unlikely to turn into something so wonderful when not baked yet). I have some spring onions waiting to be used and might give this recipe a try with them. Yum!
I think chives are just gorgeous with the purple poms on top, too. Great looking pizza, Kristin! I tend to always pair chives with goat cheese (for no really good reason) but I should try them with gruyere…how nice the bright oniony flavor would be against the buttery, nuttiness of that cheese. Yummy! Glad you had a great time with your family!
what a perfect & beautiful way to use chives.
Gosh this looks fabulous. I have planted these amidst my flower beds…can’t wait to try this!
What a great idea! The chives on my deck have come back for a third season and now I know what I want to do with them. We’ll see how this compares to the delicious ramp pizza recipe you posted last year.
Mmmm…I love this. Chives are the first to show in our garden and I eagerly put them on and in EVERYTHING in the spring.
I am definitely trying this in the next few days!
This looks so beautiful that I’d be afraid to cut it up and serve it! I’m going to have to watch for chives at the farmers market here so I can try this out.
When I had my community garden spot, it was wild with chives. I couldn’t have been more pleased! These photos are brilliant. The Gruyere and chive combo must be a thrill!
I have fresh garlic chives right outside my front door. Last night they made an appearance in a Spring veggie primavera. I must make this flatbread tonight – paired with my fav salad it will be a BIG hit!
I am so happy to see this recipe! My garden is FULL of chives… and I didn’t even plant any this year. I cut them waaay back last winter, and then never got around to fully clearing them out of my garden. They came back on their own! This flatbread pizza looks yummy, will definitely have to try it. Thanks!
Okay, so this is my second comment … but now I can say: I had this for dinner, and it is delicious! The gruyère was the perfect cheese match. Not sure about the chives (mine were from the supermarket …), but all in all a great success. Thank you.
Who knew that chives had buds on them? How beautiful. I’d never thought of preparing them this way, laid out in all of their glory as a companion to the cheese. And what a lovely, quick way to put together a summer meal.
Chives! I have chives in my garden and I totally forgot them! And now I have to put them on pizza! With Gruyere! It’s like you have a special recipe radar, homed in on ME. A million blessings on you.
I just made a ramp pizza – which was fabulous – but sadly ramp season is over. This can be my next adventure!! Looks lovely.
Cheers,
*Heather*
Thanks for visiting us. Your recipes look delicious. Can we share them (credited and linked) on our website?
I love how chives w/ buds almost look like a simple bouquet of flowers.
Lovely.
I started BarBri this week. How terrible right? Especially with this great weather!
I can’t tell you how happy all this chive love makes me! : ) Thanks, everyone.
LoveFeast: I was born and raised in MN, but am in Chicago now.
Amy (Eggs on Sunday): Goat cheese would be great here too!
Amy (Miminally Invasive): This was actually a substitute for ramps pizza because I hadn’t yet seen any this spring. Little did I know, I’d get my hands on some the very next day! More on that soon …
Johanna and heather: Thanks for the quick feedback! I’m so glad you liked it!
Susan: Of course! Thanks for asking. I hope you guys have warmer market weather this weekend!
Whitney: Yes, terrible indeed. But at least you can spend your pre and/or post BarBri time outside. I did almost all of my studying in a lawn chair. : )
That looks divine! I LOVE Gruyere cheese!
That looks delicious – and beautiful! I can’t wait to get down to the Minneapolis Farmer’s Market. Which one do you go to? I like the Depot/Mill City, but I’ve heard one of the others might be better.
What a perfect post; and an even-better flatbread.
Can’t wait to dig some chives from the backyard.
The flat bread was so good, a perfect appetizer before a heavier meal;..thanks for the weekend and thanks for the food! Love, MOM
This looks so so delicious. I didn’t even know chives have those purple buds. I’ve just planted some chive seeds. Hope that survive this tropical climate.
Gosh you won’t believe this, but yesterday I had a dream about chives that have a gorgeous purple buds. And thus I am back for more.
I am going to serve this at my next wine party. What a wonderful recipe. Thanks
so much for sharing.
I must make this! I would have never thought to just put a bunch of whole chives on top, but it looks lovely.
I can’t wait to try this!
I just made this, and added caramelized onions and a bit of freshly chopped rosemary. AMAZING! Thanks so much for the recipe
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