Swiss Chard

Swiss Chard

Gardens have come a long way since I was a little girl. I grew up eating mostly canned and frozen vegetables. My mom didn't garden much, but when I grew up, moved into the country and the green bug bit then I started my first garden up a stairway into my apartment, then a few rows behind a rented house, and my largest garden: rows and rows and rows right beside our very first house. There are now so many varieties of seeds to choose from compared to 30 years ago and so keeping a garden not only saves a little money, but provides handy fresh vegetables for the table.

One vegetable I did not know about, until my search for greens to grow in the South, was Swiss Chard. This plant is similar to spinach. It can be sauteed, added to salads and even wrapped around meats and rice. This vegetable is cold hardy and doesn't seem to mind the heat of the deep South. Unlike lettuce, it doesn't bolt and continues to produce for over a year if watered and fertilized. I grow my plants in pots and they do beautifully, but they will grow even larger if planted in the ground. If you don't have ground space, by all means use pots. Swiss Chard is easily started from seeds.

So, need some recipe ideas? 

Braised Greens and Onions

Ingredients:

1 1/4 pound kale, collards, or chard

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, minced

Tamari soy sauce, to taste

3/4 cup vegetable broth

Wash greens and shake them dry. Remove stems and cut leaves into large pieces. Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan. Add onion and sauté until it becomes transparent. Stir in greens. Add salt or tamari, and cook for one minute. Pour in broth, stir, cover and simmer until greens are tender.

Nutritional Info:

Per Serving:120 calories (40 from fat), 4.5g total fat, 0.5g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 260mg sodium, 17g carbohydrate (3g dietary fiber, 1g sugar), 5g protein

Chard with Bacon and Apple

3 slices bacon, diced

1 small yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 organic Gala apple, cored and diced

1 bunch (about 3/4 pound) organic chard, well rinsed

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Place a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add onion to the pan and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in apple.

Meanwhile, cut off the stems of the chard and slice them thinly. Chop the leaves. Stir stems and leaves into the skillet along with the bacon, salt and pepper. Pour in 2 tablespoons water; cover the skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until chard is tender, about 8 more minutes.

Nutritional Info:

Per Serving:70 calories (25 from fat), 2.5g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 5mg cholesterol, 380mg sodium, 11g carbohydrate (3g dietary fiber, 6g sugar), 3g protein

Quinoa, Chard and Apple Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup red quinoa

1 bunch chard, leaves separated from stems

2 small shallots, thinly sliced

2 medium apples, such as Fuji or Honeycrisp, cored and diced

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1/4 cup fruit-sweetened dried sour cherries or cranberries

1/4 cup walnuts, toasted

Place quinoa and 2 cups of water in a small pot. Cover, bring to a boil and cook until quinoa is soft, 15 to 20 minutes.

Thinly slice chard stems and leaves, and set aside separately.

Heat a large high-sided skillet over high heat. Add chard stems, shallots and apples. Cook until shallots are soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Add vinegar and scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Add dried cherries, green leaves from the chard and 1/4 cup water. Cook until chard is wilted, about 5 minutes.

Combine quinoa with cooked chard and top with toasted walnuts. Enjoy hot, cold or at room temperature.

Nutritional Info:

Per Serving:310 calories (170 from fat), 7g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 190mg sodium, 54g carbohydrate (8g dietary fiber, 14g sugar), 10g protein

Swiss Chard Torta

Ingredients:

Salt and pepper to taste

1 large bunch swiss chard, thick stems removed, leaves chopped

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

1 large potato, peeled and finely grated

1 cup grated aged Comté cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Flour

1 (14-ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add swiss chard and blanch for 3 to 4 minutes, or until tender. Drain and run under cold water to cool. Squeeze out as much excess water as possible, then transfer chard to a large bowl. Mix in onions, potato and cheeses. Add oregano, salt and pepper, then add eggs and stir until combined. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400°F.

On a lightly floured workspace, unfold puff pastry and cut in half. Roll one half into a 9-inch circle, sprinkling it lightly with flour to avoid sticking. Transfer circle of dough to a nonstick baking sheet and pile swiss chard mixture in the center, gently spreading it out and leaving a 1/2-inch border of pastry around the entire circle. Roll out the remaining puff pastry into a 10-inch circle and gently place on top. Smooth out and tuck the overlapping pastry completely under the bottom circle. With a sharp knife, poke a few holes on top. Lightly brush with olive oil and bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden. Cut into wedges.

Nutritional Info:

Per Serving:390 calories (210 from fat), 24g total fat, 8g saturated fat, 80mg cholesterol, 700mg sodium, 30g carbohydrate (3g dietary fiber, 4g sugar), 14g protein