Chard, and how best to cook it...

[Tori]

Swiss Chard?

Have grown some swiss chard - looks lovely - but I have no idea how to eat it! All suggestions gratefully tried!

[Alice]

Tori you can eat the leaves and the stalks. Use the leaves like spinach - add to salads (when young) or to stews, soups, or as a steamed vegetabe, or in stir fries. The stalks can be eaten like celery - bit I don't like them.
Try this for a start - melt some butter, add some garlic and anything else you like (herbs, courgettes, prawns) add the chard leaves, cook till wilted, eat.

[cottage garden]

We live on chard Tori, I add it to everything.... I use it finely shredded and cooked with onion and garlic as a base in almost everything I cook. Omelettes, lasagne, pasta sauce, stews, the list is endless....

The trick is only to add 3 large leaves at a time, any more and the dish takes on a strong chard taste. But three leaves gives you all the vitamins and enough flavour.

The stems (especially the silver chard) are delicious when boiled/steamed and the covered with a cheese sauce and a little nutmeg and then baked in the oven.

Tiny chard leaves (no more than 4 inches) are lovely added to salads.

Good luck...Its worth it.

[Alison]

I posted a recipe for Chard Pesto last year, have a search for it, it's really nice and freezes dead well.

[Nelly]

I've run a search for the chard pesto but the only posts that come up are references to the mysterious recipe! Any chance of re-posting it or at least sending me in the right direction to find it? Sounds fab!

[Nicos]

Wot the others say!!

Just wanted to tell you that they are growing the rainbow variety of Swiss Chard in the flower beds in Harrogate.
I know because I picked some and ate it there and then .
My daughter and her partner were horrified that I was eating the 'flower display'

We grow it on our lottie but it was determined to go to seed this year

[Alison]

I've run a search for the chard pesto but the only posts that come up are references to the mysterious recipe! Any chance of re-posting it or at least sending me in the right direction to find it? Sounds fab!

It's this one - http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...esto_9509.html

[Nelly]

Cheers, m'dear! Must have been a bit thick on the searching thing... (sorry). Swiss chard has been so satisfying to grow and I love the colours of Bright Lights on my plate. I've eaten stacks of it, both cooked and in salads, and get frustrated if I've eaten it down to the bottom and have to wait for the re-growth. Next year (or even this winter), LOTS more chard!

[Tori]

Wow thanks everyone - tommorrows dinner will be a fabulous array of chard dishes!
Tori
P.S. my mum came round to visit the veggies and looked at the swiss chard and said 'What's that weird stuff?' and I was able to tell her your recipies and sound all clever! Ha ha!

[TEB]

Chard idea

We harvested some chard today and if like us you wonder what to do with it then this chard risotto recipe was lovely Red Chard Risotto Recipe at Epicurious.com,
any other ideas gratefully received.

[Flummery]

It's brilliant in a vegetable curry - like spinach sag.

[TEB]

It's brilliant in a vegetable curry - like spinach sag.

Oh wow, OH makes a mean curry - thanks Flummery

[Nicos]

TEB- I never knew what a Dutch oven was til I Googled it!!!

I use swiss chard in my version of Italian bean soup.

Onions,tins toms,bacon bits, tins mixed beans,chopped swiss chard- and the odd French bean,tom puree,chicken stock and a big splodge of red wine. Garlic ,salt and basil to season.
Yum

[TEB]

lol, Nicos I read your post and thought you was having a "turn" with respect to Dutch oven - can you tell it wasnt me doing the cooking

[Nicos]

Me..having a turn???..I'd be so lucky!!!!