Swiss chard

[Rosyred]

Is growing nicely big leaves little stalks, never grown before how did I cook it? :-\

[Rosyred]

[markfield rover]

When young as spinach ,a little older then I seperate leaf -again as spinach and rib  ,cut into short lengths steamed for 6/8 mins
and serve with a little butter etc

[tim]

The stem is the most flavoursome bit.

[Biscombe]

I use it in canelloni like spinach, Its a made up recipie so no measurements!!

Finely chop your chard and steam
mix with ricotta
roll the mix in some cooked lasagna sheets (I also pop in some grilled or fried red peppers)
top with a bechamel or cheese sauce
grill until the top is golden


Mmmmmmmmm

[Rosyred]

Tim how do you cook your stem then?

[Jitterbug]

Hi Rosyred

I only grow swiss chard and I lightly boil the ribs and then coat in breadcrumbs and egg and fry.  Delcious with a dip of your choice.

Also the leaves can be chopped up and cooked with diced onions, potatoes and garlic, lightly mashed and a good thingy of butter and Yummy!!  Also lightly steam and then add to a rich white sauce that has a good amount of cream added.

Jitterbug

[Rosyred]

We have been enjoying swiss chard cooked like spinach with onions and also I added the stems to a stir fry last night.

Does anyone eat them raw in a salad?

[euronerd]

If I'm using it like spinach I just chuck the stems in the steamer a few minutes before the leaves. Rosyred, they're good raw. Don't know how you'd cut them though, to make them look pretty.  ;D
Now I'm here, has anybody tried wrapping the leaves round a filling à la cabbage parcels? Or are the leaves too delicate?

Geoff.

[tim]

Good thought, Geoff. Worth a go?

Rosy - sorry - missed that. I usually sauté the lot - do the 1" bits of stem in olive oil for 5 min - add Garlic & stir around - then the well washed shredded leaves, bit by bit - cover & cook for 5 min. Uncover & boil off any liquid. Season & add Lemon Juice.

Or, as you say, stir fry. great flavour. Or, once again, the old Saag Aloo!!

[euronerd]

I intend to try it tim, when the leaves are a bit bigger than 3"² (My fault; late planting.).
Talking of stems, a few years ago I grew some SS which was a bronzey colour and had yellow stems - no doubt called golden something - which were tough and stringy to the point of being inedible.

Geoff.

[tim]

Unlucky? Because the Rainbow Chard, in which your yellow one probably features, is very delicate. Even raw. But much depends upon rate of growth.

[Susiebelle]

I grew Bright Lights last year and didn't get on with the cooking bit (do agree Tim found stems best bit) much preferred spinach, but reading all these ideas I am definitely going to give it another go this year better get sowing.

[tim]

So what went wrong? Spinach, to me, is a wimp in cooking, whereas Chard has a bit of substance. Without any added astringency.