Author Topic: Chard  (Read 3418 times)

galina

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Chard
« on: May 13, 2015, 10:37:32 »
Chard is at its very best at the moment.  This may be a good opportunity to exchange a few ways of using the glut.  It can be frozen, but not exactly good or necessary, so now is the time to enjoy it fresh, cooked in various ways.

I have just learned about the Greek dish Spanakopita - minced chard with various additions and Feta cheese in pastry parcels. 

An easy way of getting an extra portion towards the 5 or more a day, is burgers with chard.  I use about the same amount of chard to mince and blitz the lot in the kitchen machine with an egg added to bind the burgers.  A few drops of soy sauce, garlic and half a hot pepper from the freezer also go in.  I then fry these burgers gently on medium heat and leave them a bit longer before turning because they don't stick together quite as well as normal burgers.  They look very green initially, but that goes during cooking.  The chard sort of disappears when the burgers are ready.  Kid's would not turn their noses up or even notice that half of their burger is chard.

A Sophie Grigson recipe from Switzerland are chard parcels.  Can't find the actual recipe on www anymore, but it is easy to improvise and nothing can go wrong, because it is very forgiving and quantities are not critical.  Choose the largest chard leaves and cut out the white ribs.  Chop the ribs and mix with mince, or minced left over roast, chicken breast or what have you.  Season and gently fry for a few minutes in a covered pan until the meat is cooked if it was raw to start off and the chard stems are nearly soft.  Lay the leaves flat, spoon a dollop of the mince mixture in the middle and fold the edges of the leaves over to make parcels.  You can pre-cook the chard leaves in a wide pan with briskly boiling water for a few seconds, then immediately plunge into cold water to make them more pliable for folding, but this is not absolutely necessary and I usually don't bother.  I place the parcels (seams down) into a casserole dish or a large frying pan with lid and cover with tomato sauce (a tin of chopped tomatoes or use frozen tomatoes from last year's glut).  Season.  My oregano is lovely at the moment, nice to add some of that to the tomato sauce, thyme is another good herb to add.  Chard parcels can be finished off either on the cooker (slow flame - gentle simmer), or in the oven. 

How do you cook your chard? :wave:

« Last Edit: May 13, 2015, 10:54:42 by galina »

Obelixx

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Re: Chard
« Reply #1 on: May 13, 2015, 14:19:26 »
I have baby Swiss chard ready to go out in the veg plot after not growing it for several years because it ahsn't survived some hard winters.

I like it stir fried with garlic and lemon zest and sometimes anchovies and served with pasta.  Good in tarts too and it's great in veggie curries.  Here are some more useful recipes - http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/search/recipes?query=Swiss+chard and here - http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/search?keywords=Swiss+chard&x=0&y=0 and some nutritional info and recipes - http://www.cookinglight.com/food/recipe-finder/swiss-chard-recipes
.
Obxx - Vendée France

Silverleaf

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Re: Chard
« Reply #2 on: May 14, 2015, 22:16:46 »
I like chard a lot, and wonder why it isn't more popular. Tastes nice, lovely crunchy ribs, doesn't bolt at the first sign of sun like spinach, and comes in lovely bright colours.

I've set aside some plants from last year to save seed from - orange, magenta/red, and white with a magenta "blush".

Duke Ellington

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Re: Chard
« Reply #3 on: May 14, 2015, 22:25:36 »
This is a nice recipe...

Swiss Chard and Potato Gratin
Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 55 minutes 

Serves: 4

Ingredients

500g Swiss chard
75g margarine
2tbsp plain flour
100g cheddar cheese
750g potatoes
4 garlic cloves
600ml (1 pint) milk
salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Remove and roughly chop the green part of the chard leaves. Cut the stalks into 2cm lengths and steam for 10 mins. Stir in the green leaves and continue to cook for a few minutes. 

2. Wash the potatoes and cut into 1cm slices. Boil for 5 mins until just tender. Drain.

3. Grease a shallow baking dish and layer with half of the potatoes, the chard and then the remaining potatoes.

To make the sauce:
1. melt the margarine and fry the crushed garlic for 2 mins. Stir in the flour and continue stirring for 1 min. 

2. Gradually add the milk, stirring continuously until the sauce thickens. 

3. Add half the grated cheese and season with salt and pepper.

4. Pour the sauce over the vegetables and top with the remaining cheese. Bake at 180° Mark 4 for 35 mins.

 

Duke
dont be fooled by the name I am a Lady!! :-*

galina

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Re: Chard
« Reply #4 on: May 15, 2015, 08:47:52 »
Obbelix, that spaghetti sauce with anchovies sounds very good indeed, and so does your gratin with chard and potatoes, Duke.  Nom Nom!  And lots of further recipe suggestions. 

Yes I agree, Silverleaf, if it was more difficult to grow, people might pay premium prices for it.  I don't know either why it isn't more popular.  It is two vegetables in one to start with, the ribs and the leaves don't have to be used together.  Ribs, cut into chunks, steamed and served with a thingie of butter are very different from the 'spinachey' leaves. 

Has anybody every seen chard in shops?

We had chard again for dinner last night - I fried chicken cubes in a little oil.  Then added a chopped hot pepper from the freezer, cubed aubergine and shredded chard and garlic.  I added a heaped table spoon of smooth peanut butter and a large mug of water and stirred to make a creamy sauce.  Finished off with a handful of chopped three-cornered leek from the garden (could have used chives or spring onion).  Stirred everything once more and simmered for a few minutes with the lid on to make sure the chicken was cooked through and the chard ribs were soft.  The peanut butter and aubergine 'melt' into a rich, thick sauce and the chard adds nice flavour and texture.     :wave:
« Last Edit: May 15, 2015, 08:53:21 by galina »

Silverleaf

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Re: Chard
« Reply #5 on: May 15, 2015, 12:20:43 »
I wonder if you don't see it in the shops because it doesn't transport or keep well?

I have no idea how well it keeps, to be honest. I pick what I need, take it into the house, and cook it.

artichoke

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Re: Chard
« Reply #6 on: May 15, 2015, 13:49:14 »
My chard and sorrel grow five miles away so I pick a big bagful and keep it in a plastic bag in the fridge for a week, no problem. But I do know that if you lay it out naked (I sell some veg to support local choir) it soon wilts unattractively. Therefore I wrap it up in clingfilm on a plastic tray (saved from supermarket packaging) to keep its fresh look.

Obelixx

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Re: Chard
« Reply #7 on: July 29, 2015, 13:44:50 »
I have come back from hols to find all my chard has bolted.    I've cut off the flowering stems but what's left looks a bit scrawny. 

Now we've had some rain it may recover but will it still be tasty or should I just start again and hope a new sowing overwinters OK?
Obxx - Vendée France

galina

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Re: Chard
« Reply #8 on: July 29, 2015, 15:08:23 »
Chard is not like lettuce, it starts bolting but doesn't go all bitter like lettuce.  But you can't reverse the fact that yours has tried to flower.  You can keep it going for quite a while, but for chard next spring, I would sow again now.  It is unlikely to flower before winter and you will get a huge amount of greens in the spring.   :wave:

Obelixx

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Re: Chard
« Reply #9 on: July 29, 2015, 16:03:35 »
Thanks Galina.  I'll go and sow some more then.
Obxx - Vendée France

 

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