When you’ve by no means grown something earlier than, then I might strongly urge you to start out with chard. It doesn’t want a lot care, sow the seeds in spring by way of to the top of summer time and reap the advantages because it grows. It may be picked younger or mature (so long as you may defend it properly sufficient from hungry bugs). I all the time discover it so cheerful in a backyard patch, nice massive sweet colored stalks in pink, purple and orange with shiny inexperienced leaves.
Chard is in the identical household as spinach and can be utilized in a lot the identical approach, besides it’s much more helpful given how scrumptious its vibrant stalks might be.
You may separate the chard into its leafy greens and its stalks; every a part of the plant tastes totally different. The greens are milder than spinach, with a candy, earthy flavour and a little bit of bitterness when eaten uncooked. When cooked, the bitterness lessens, and that candy, earthy flavour (suppose beetroot) turns into extra prevalent.
The stalks, in the meantime, are crunchy, crisp and have a sweetness that falls someplace between celery and beets.
Chances are high, in the event you like spinach, you’ll like Swiss chard; the 2 are sometimes in contrast to one another because the leaves style related and the vegetable might be ready similarly. You may — and may! — eat each elements of chard, but it surely’s simpler to separate the stalks and the leaves for cooking and storage.
That is fairly late within the season for chard however they nonetheless persist in our backyard patch no less than, certainly they all the time develop fairly prolifically for some purpose, in comparison with all the pieces else. The salty, windswept circumstances of Cork Harbour can usually show troublesome for rising however chard can all the time be relied upon to develop extraordinarily properly.
If shopping for, I can’t promise one can find chard simply at the moment of yr, however farmers markets or good greengrocers are all the time the most effective guess. Search for brightly colored stalks which might be agency and brilliant, shiny inexperienced leaves that haven’t been left hole-punched by bugs.
You may prepare dinner chard in lots of the identical ways in which you prepare dinner spinach, and it is a effective swap in salads, sautéed preparations or in quiches. Simply know that when eaten uncooked in a salad, chard leaves can have a texture that is extra just like kale.
Leek and chard soup with tarragon
Serve this scorching in deep bowls with loads of crusty white bread, enthusiastically buttered.
Elements
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1 tbsp olive oil
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50g butter
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2 massive leeks, greens discarded, whites sliced thinly
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1.5 litres of excellent hen or veg inventory
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Zest of half a small lemon
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A small bunch of tarragon, roughly chopped
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handful of chard leaves ( use the stems for an additional dish)
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2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
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A small handful of parsley, chopped
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Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Methodology
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In a big pot or casserole warmth the oil and butter over medium warmth. Add the leeks and potatoes, coating all the pieces within the melted butter and oil. Cowl the pot and let the substances soften for round 5 minutes. Pour over the hen inventory and produce to the boil earlier than lowering to a simmer. Season with lemon zest and add the chard leaves.
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Let it simmer for round quarter-hour on a low, light warmth. Examine the seasoning after which add the tarragon and many of the parsley (reserving some for garnish).
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As soon as the potato has cooked by way of the soup needs to be able to serve.
Chard stem gratin
Chard stalks might be difficult sufficient to prepare dinner with as they are often stringy or powerful if not handled correctly. Making them right into a gratin is nice as the warmth of the oven and the effervescent cream with make them deliciously tender and simple to eat.
Elements
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2 stalks of celery
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The stalks from a big bunch of chard, leaves saved for an additional dish
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Few sprigs of thyme
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100ml double cream
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100g good high quality breadcrumbs
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30g laborious sheep’s cheese like Cais na Tire
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Sea salt and freshly floor black pepper
Methodology
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Preheat the oven to 160°C.
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Lower the celery and chard stems into finger size batons. Place in not more than two layers in a medium-sized casserole dish. Scatter over the sprigs of thyme and three or 4 tablespoons of water together with an excellent pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Cowl the entire thing in foil and place within the oven for round 40 minutes. Take the dish out of the oven and switch the warmth as much as 200°C.
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Discard the thyme sprigs and pour off the liquid from the casserole right into a measuring jug. Add the cream to the jug and whisk all of it collectively. Style and add extra seasoning if obligatory. Pour again over the chard and celery and scatter the breadcrumbs and grated sheep’s cheese on prime. Return uncovered to the new oven for a ultimate 15-20 minutes till golden brown and effervescent.
Creamed chard
I’ve all the time cherished creamed spinach, though it wouldn’t be essentially the most up to date or thrilling methods of consuming spinach. This chard model offers you a extra elevated and complicated end result in contrast with creamed spinach.
Elements
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2 massive bunches of chard, washed with stems and leaves separated
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50g butter
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2 spring onions, sliced thinly
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150ml double cream
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Pinch of freshly floor nutmeg
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Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
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Small handful of pine nuts
Methodology
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Toast the pine nuts, gently on a dry frying pan over medium warmth till evenly browned. Take away to a bowl and put aside.
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Lower the chard stems into small diced items no greater than the nail in your little finger. You may roughly chop the leaves to make them extra manageable.
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Soften the butter on the frying pan over a medium excessive warmth and add the sliced spring onion and chard stalks. Cowl the frying pan with a lid and let prepare dinner down for round 5 minutes.
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As soon as the stalks have softened, add the chard leaves and prepare dinner uncovered for an extra 5 minutes in order that all the pieces has wilted down properly. Decrease the warmth to medium low and add the cream to the pan together with a pinch of nutmeg, sea salt and an excellent scattering of freshly cracked black pepper. Cook dinner for round 3-4 minutes after which take away from the warmth. Serve in a small serving bowl or dish with the toasted pine nuts scattered liberally over.
