Topic: Spinach & swiss chard.

[Annadl]

I assume using both plants for the same recipe is OK even though they are different plants.

Made a spinach & potato tortilla on Wednesday.  It was a real hit.
Then made a warm spinach salad (using the swiss chard as well) but heated it all up with bacon & prepared mustard.  I can't believe how 'sweet' it still was.

As you can see we have spinach at the moment.  Have to keep using it as the swiss chard is going to seed.

Anna

[Derekthefox]

I have always taken that approach, and even grew swiss chard this year as a substitute because I found it more prolific ... in most dishes I would suspect they are interchangeable, although I must admit I prefer the taste of spinach if the flavour is a major part of the dish.

Derekthefox

[Mrs Ava]

The leaves that grow up the thick stem as the swiss chard starts to flower Anna are really tasty and I reakon sweeter!

[Derekthefox]

Grrr, now you tell me !!! All the plants that bolted just got hoiked out and composted !

Derekthefox

[Mrs Ava]

no no no Derek!  When mine bolted, I continued using the leaves up the thick stem, then cut the stem down to the ground, peeled it, braised it and scoffed it, and the plants continued to grow again for a while.  They did bolt, and a few plants didn't recoved, but I did get another light harvest from them.  Me, frugal, never!

[Derekthefox]

Ah well, I live and learn ...

Derekthefox

[Looby Loo]

I steam the stems and cook the leafy bits like spinach (in a little butter and a splash of water).  The stems are supposed to taste like asparagus. 

Give me chard rather than spinach any day.

[Hyacinth]

Give me chard rather than spinach any day.

Would this be for taste, L-L, or ease of cultivation?

Me, I find the tastes so distinctive I wouldn't, really, be able to declare a 'favourite'...........but for ease of growing? Swiss Chard every time!  And confess that I buy my spinach from a local Indian shop (fresh, cos he grows it on his allotment! He's got a knack I obviously haven't...)

[froglets]

Does it matter which variety you grow for taste?  I have grown the rainbow versions for years to give the lottie a bit of colour ( and get the curiosity of the giffers going), but have never quite got round to eating much of it.  There's ruby chard as well - does it all taste the same?  and does the colour go when you steam it?

[Mrs Ava]

The colour stays, altho slightly muted.  As for flavour, I find bright lights mild, swiss with the white stems quite strong, and ruby quite sweet.  I grew swiss and ruby last year, but have 2 packs of bright lights for this as I adore it, along with my nephew and daughter - but they only like the coloured stems!

[grawrc]

I love Swiss Chard but I think you need to pick it young and keep picking or it gets quite bitter. In lots of recipes I substitute it for spinach but where the spinach really matters nothing else will do.  :P