It’s really a shame that for so long chives were relegated to serving as an afterthought, their only purpose to decorate a lowly baked potato or to ever so slightly elevate the sophistication factor of a cheese omelet. Their crisp taste and relatively hardy nature (store them wrapped in a damp paper towel in your crisper drawer) make them a natural focal point for a variety of main dishes and accompaniments.
We found some gorgeous chives and garlic chives recently for sale at the Biver Farms booth at the Clayton Farmer’s Market. Chives are used most frequently as herbs, but they’re technically members of the allium family, kissing cousins to onions and leeks. Garlic chives, which Biver’s Brett Palmier said are also known as Chinese leeks, have a pronounced, if somewhat soft, garlic flavor. Both can be eaten raw in salads or used in a variety of cooked applications.
Turn a fresh loaf of focaccia into a quick appetizer by spreading slices with good quality olive oil and Baetje Farms’ goat cheese. After a few minutes in a hot oven, sprinkle the bread with finely chopped chives and you’ll have a delicious dish that’s sure to get scooped up quickly. For an entrée-worthy salad, it’s worth searching out some meaty mushrooms (try those from Ozark Forest) and roasting them until just tender. Perch a poached farm-fresh egg atop the mushrooms and add some quickly sautéed garlic chives. Don’t forget that chive blossoms are edible straight off the stalk and will add visual appeal to any salad. And, if you must, there’s always that baked potato option.
Chives will be available into the summer months. We found ours at the Clayton Farmers’ Market, but you will likely be able to track them down at other area markets as well.
Always wondering what to pick out during this week’s trip to the market? Check back here every Wednesday for more Stocking Up, in which Shannon Parker reveals what fresh items to look for, how to pick them and ways to incorporate these tasty finds into your next meal.
This article appears in May 1-31, 2011.