So even though I said I was going to take baby steps on this whole “eating better” thing, I just couldn’t resist pushing the envelope a little. If you read LifeasMOM, you already know that we signed up for a CSA trial last week. Four weeks to test out what we think about being “forced” to make good use of fresh, organic produce.
Last week’s basket was pretty standard fare, including lettuce, melons, grape tomatoes, zucchini, avocados, carrots, string beans, cilantro, oranges, and apples. The strange bird in the flock was the swiss chard.
I had never eaten chard, let alone cooked with it before last week. I had asked around on facebook and twitter, looking for fans. And there are plenty of people out there who love chard.
If you’re a chard newbie, walk along with me on my adventures with chard. It’s kinda weird, two vegetables in one. There’s a celery-like stalk and spinach like leaves. Both are edible.
I washed it all well. It’s kinda gritty. And then separated the stems from the leaves.
I had done some chard research and found two interesting recipes, one from Martha and one from Bon Appetit. I used Martha’s cooking method with Bon Appetit’s ingredients list.
That night we had salmon, rice pilaf, sauteed chard, and sweet corn. A very yummy combination.
One bunch of chard was a lot for our family. So, I didn’t cook all the leaves, but stored them in a paper towel-lined ziploc bag. I used a few handfuls later in this vegetable saute.
Mixed Vegetable Saute
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 potato, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 sweet corn
2 handfuls swiss chard leaves, sliced
1 handful grape tomatoes
In a large skillet heat oil until shimmering. Add potato and garlic. Cook, covered, over medium heat until potatoes are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Stir in corn and chard, tossing to coat. Cook until hot through. Toss in grape tomatoes and cook just until hot.
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We grew a ton last year and the year before as we just started gardening, because it’s super easy. This won’t work for a small amount, but we often used it raw to make salads. If you like spinach salads, you’ll like this instead of lettuce. The only thing about that is, from the info that’s out there, it is a vegetable that is better for you when cooked (but hey, some of both is probably good too).
I’ve used chard in quiches before (not the standard egg based one, but similar to an impossible pie). Maybe you can combine your other vegetables with it. Love chard, especially the stems in a gratin!
I like using Swiss chard and other tough greens such as kale in soups and sauces. Depending on whether your kids mind green leafy things 😉 you can slice it thin and add to pea soup, minestrone, and even tomato soup for a nice color and an added zip to the soup. We also often add it to spaghetti sauce; it can be pureed first if you want, but I just slice and add along with other veggies like onion and bell pepper.
I would say soup too. Or sauteed with scrambled eggs and a little bacon. =) Glad you took the plunge. We’ve had a CSA (both summer and winter) for 5 years now and I can’t imagine living without it anymore.
i’ve never had swiss chard either but since it seems similar to kale, it could be good in soups/stews. also… have you ever heard of green smoothies? they’re a little out there but i really like them. you can’t taste the greens (spinach, kale, chard too i guess) really if you add plenty of yogurt, bananas, berries, etc…. the smoothies are green so i’m not sure how kids would react to them. but i’m sure you could put a mom spin on them (a celebration of some sort?).
I LOVE swiss chard! My favorite way to eat them is like this:
Saute several cloves of minced garlic in olive oil. add chopped leaves to pot. Cook down a bit until they are wilted. (you can do this in a little white wine if you are feeling just a little bit crazy) Add 1/2 – 3/4 cup chicken broth, cover with a lid and braise for about 15 -20 minutes. DELISH! If you really want to go crazy, add some white beans and serve over rice for an easy veggie lunch! It’s nice with a squeeze of lemon too!
I second the vote for green smoothies 🙂 I got a bunch of it from our CSA this summer, too, and that’s how I used most of it. It doesn’t incorporate quite as smoothly as spinach, but way better than kale in my experience.
We like chard as just a simple saute–olive oil, salt/pepper and finish with a splash of balsamic vinegar.
Yum. Can I ask you how you cooked your salmon? My family & I enjoy fish, but every time I cook it, it’s dry. Thanks for the heads up on the swiss chard, I have never had it, & now I am intrigued! 🙂
Had salmon done this way yesterday – was so quick and tasty!!!
Simmer water and herbs – I just had parsley – add salmon cover and poach
for five mins.
Was delicious
This is a fantastic recipe that I tried. I had never had chard before this summer.
http://sarahscucinabella.com/2010/07/02/swiss-chard-with-garlic-and-bacon-recipe/
I LOVE chard. I generally chop it up, stems and all, and steam it until tender. Then I put some butter, salt & pepper on it, or drizzle cider vinegar over top. It also freezes well after steaming.
2 years ago was the first time i cooked and ate chard. we like it sauteed in olive oil with garlic & onion. what did the family think?
We love swiss chard, and pick it one leaf at a time to make wraps with it for lunch. We like it as a tuna salad wrap, especially. Also, we use it for chard rolls, instead of cabbage rolls. Just blanch it before using it for the rolls, it is easier to use than trying to separate the cabbage leaves from the cabbage head!
We joined a CSA this summer for the first time. I’d never had chard, kale, collard greens, bok choi, or any of the other more adventurous greens. We’ve gotten in the habit of throwing a few leaves into almost everything we eat. Stir fry, eggs, pasta salad, scalloped potatoes, anything! I know that greens on their own aren’t the most appetizing thing, but greens in something are much less noticeable. We usually microwave-steam the tougher greens (kale, collard green) in a pyrex with water first so they aren’t too frustrating for our toddler to chew.
maybe a smoothie containing fruit. Or put it in the food processor with some water blend until liquid and pour into ice cube trays and freeze.
Use in smoothies or soup bases.