We’ve turned many CSA members into serious kale lovers, but Swiss Chard is a leafy green we see a little less often in the CSA Shares. Similar to a beet green in taste and texture swiss chard is one of the first greens to make an appearance at Farmers’ Markets. Swiss chard is easily recognizable by it’s brightly colored stems, which are edible, and taste similar to celery. Add them to a sauté or try grilling just the stems for a unique dish! These greens are hearty and versatile.
Sautéd. A traditional take on greens is to braise or sauté them with garlic or other aromatics. Swiss chard is no exception. Try our Sautéd Swiss Chard with Pumpkin Seeds and Cranberries or check out the basics and create your own dish.
Salad. Remove the stems and compost or save for another dish. Tear greens into bite size pieces, wash and thoroughly dry. Use as the base of any salad or mix 50/50 with lettuce. Check out our post on creating dinner salads for more ideas!
Baked. Here’s a different take on swiss chard – bake the greens and stems under local pasture-raised pork chops! This was a farm favorite this summer.
Creamed. This recipe is one of the best lunches I’ve had in a while! Steamed swiss chard gets folded in creamy béchamel with spring onions. It’s a cross between creamed greens and mac and cheese. Filling and surprisingly light!
Grain Salads. Finely shredded/sliced swiss chard leaves make a great addition to grain based salads cooked or sautéd. Try the quinoa base in these swiss chard rolls.
Frittata. Fold sautéd swiss chard into eggs and cook into a simple frittata. Great for dinner or breakfast! You can also replace spinach with swiss chard in quiche.
Soup. Greens soups are nourishing and delicious. We love this miso soup in summer, fall, winter, and spring. Or try a creamy variety. Switch out the vegetables with the seasons!
