ISO: Info on Swiss Chard

[SandyM]

I grew up on a farm, and thought I had tried every vegetable known to man. I had swiss chard for the first time this weekend. All I can say is WOW. I'd like to know hints and tips on buying it (I have no idea what it looks like) and cooking it. This side dish had stewed tomatoes in it, and it didn't taste like it had any seasonings at all - it didn't need it! So much like spinach, but heartier. I loved it!! Any info you can give me is greatly appreciated.

[iqueen]

Jeanne: Please post them because I want to try them too! You're the best http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Jeanne G]

Yikes!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/eek.gif This is the very longest post I've ever done, but am happy to help others in the enjoying of SWISS CHARD! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Here we go, hope you try these and love 'em as much as I do! Note: one thing I do NOT understand is a description of it being "sandy". And I've read it before here on the BB. My swiss chard is NEVER sandy and hardly dirty at all.

The Greens and Ricotta Pie is incredible. The casserole was good, but I think next time I'll add garlic and a tiny bit of balsamic vinegar, which is wonderful on it's own on chard. And I made the Bruschetta at a Happy Hour party and it was one of the top favorites. Very good! I actually had some leftover and put it on pizza dough.

GREENS & RICOTTA PIE

1 large head Swiss Chard (about 1 ¾ lbs.)
1 T olive oil
1 bunch green onions, sliced ¼ inch thick
½ t salt
¼ t coarsely ground black pepper
2 large eggs
2 egg whites
1 container of part skim ricotta cheese
¾ C low-fat milk
½ C shredded Parmesan cheese
2 T cornstarch

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Grease 9 ½-inch deep glass pie plate.
2. Trim off 2 inches from Swiss Chard Stems; discard stems. Separate stems from leaves; thinly slice stems and coarsely chop leaves.
3. In nonstick 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add sliced stems and cook 4 minutes or until tender and lightly browned, stirring frequently. Add green onions, slat, and pepper, and cook 1 minute. Gradually add chopped leaves and cook, stirring, until wilted and excess moisture evaporates, about 5 minutes.
4. In large bowl, with wire whisk or fork, mix eggs, ricotta, milk, Parmesan, and cornstarch. Stir in Swiss Chard mixture.
5. Transfer mixture to pie plate. Bake pie 40 minutes or until knife inserted 2 inches from center comes out clean. Makes 6 main-dish servings.

Chard, Tomato & Cheese Casserole

2 T olive oil
2 bunches Swiss chard, washed, center ribs cut away, coarsely chopped (about 8 cups)

3 red bell peppers, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups packed grated Monterey Jack cheese
½ C grated Parmesan cheese
2 large tomatoes, peeled & thinly sliced

Grease 13 x 9 x 2 inch glass baking dish. Heat 1 T oil in heavy large Dutch oven over high heat. Add chard and sauté until wilted, about 3 minutes. Transfer chard to coloander and drain well, pressing on chard with back of spoon to release liquid.

Heat remaining 1 T oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add bell peppers and onion and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Mix in chard and toss to combine Mix in half of each cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon into prepared dish. Overlap tomato slices atop vegetable mixture, covering completely. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper. Sprinkle remaining cheeses over. Cover with foil.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake casserole until heated through, about 40 minutes. Uncover; bake until top begins to brown, about 10 minutes more.

8 to 10 Side-Dish Servings

Swiss Chard Bruschetta

8 ounces French baguette, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 1/2 cups prepared blanched swiss chard
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 cups finely chopped almonds
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 clove garlic, minced
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Arrange the bread slices on a non-stick cookie sheet.

2. In an electric blender or food processor combine the spinach, Parmesan, almonds, basil, garlic, salt and pepper. Blend until a paste forms. Pulse in 2 tablespoons olive oil; continue pulsing until the mixture is the consistency of soft butter.

3. In a small mixing bowl combine chopped tomatoes, green onion and 1 tablespoon olive oil; stir.

4. Bake the bread slices for 5 minutes or until crisp and brown.

5. Arrange toast on a serving platter. Spread each piece of toast with a
thin layer of the blended pesto, then top with the tomato mixture.

Makes 8 appetizer servings


And, last but not least, for my favorite ways to use it besides listed above, and as a sustitute for anything cooked with spinach, and on pizza in pasta in bruschetta, etc. there's this very Italian reicpe(iqueen, I didn't even think to add this one until this moment to your Italian Favorites thread!) that I obtained from my SIL's mom's cousin who lives in Italy and was in the USA visiting last year(the name, as I'm told refers to "stangle the priest" b/c apparently this dish was made at a dinner the priest was at and he didn't like it, so the name became somewhat of a joke!) http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif :

Strangolapreti

My SIL's mom translated it via some computer program to English, but I will post basically what the Italian woman told me in person. It's much easier to understand. And forgive that there are no exact measurements.

Ingredients:
Approx 20-25 swiss chard leaves, washed, trimmed of the stems and coarsely chopped
1 egg
3 portions of flour (maybe 1 1/2 C??)
s & p
a little parmesan
this is my addition, and I use alot: dill weed
You may also want to add a little bit of bread crumbs, I've done that

Mix everything in food processor. Try to obtain a mixture something like dough, but not as easily moulded. Spoon a small "ball" of it in your hand(if you can get it to the consistency where you can actually roll it in your hands, that's perfect! Most of the time I'm somewhere in between. Drop it into boiling water and wait for it to rise. After it's risen, remove w/ slotted spoon and put on plate w/ reduced fat butter and shredded parmesan.

It's wonderful. And it's the very first I ever made with chard. But unfortunately, like I said, I have no real recipe. It's from memory and I have made it where I have to put the mixture on a spoon and slide it off into the boiling water with my finger. It's not the prettiest but it tastes almost the same!

Hope you like the recipes! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[SoCal]

Jeanne,

I didn't post this topic but want to thank you for the recipes. The Greens and Ricotta Pie sounds especially wonderful (as do the others)! Can't wait to try them.

Sandy,

Thank you for the post! I've never had swiss chard but am anxious to now.

Diane

[SandyM]

Once again,the members if this board astound me. Thank you for posting the recipes, Jeanne - I look forward to making all of them! I feel like a kid in a candy store.

[Vanessa]

Swiss chard is very popular in the South. The flavor is like spinach but with an earthy and slightly bitter flavor. Buy Swiss chard that is crisp and green. Its season is June through October. Chard needs to be rinsed throughly since its sandy.
To prepare cut the leaves from the stalks and string any large or tough stalks like celery. Stalks and leaves can be cooked separately (since stalks take longer to cook than leaves)the leaves like spinach stalks like asparagus, or they can be cooked together. Americans often boil chard and Europeans saute it. To do so cut stalks in thick slices and toss with 2 tab olive oil per pound of chard in a large skillet. Cover and cook on low for 15 mins until tender. Cut leaves into wide strips, stir them into the stalks and cook over med heat, stirring occasionally until tender. Sprinkle with lemon juice or vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
(from The New Basics Cookbook)

[lorilei]

Since you're wondering what swiss chard looks like, I dug up a photo for you.

WHO KNOWS if it will appear correctly, but here goes:

http://store1.yimg.com/I/seedsofchange_1562_9049202

[This message has been edited by lorilei (edited 10-16-2000).]

[Jeanne G]

Sandy M,

I can help!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif I have grown it now for 2 years and LOVE it. It is so versatle and delicious. I do all sorts of things with it and have my recipes at home that I'll list and post if you want. (I just finished lunch which was halibut and home made Chard, Tomato and Cheese Casserole! Yummmmm). I'll try to get on tonight at home.

And in terms of finding it, you should be able to find it at the grocery. Some has red - or pinkish stalks. Mine has the white stalk. It's very dark green color and can look like a dark green romaine lettuce leaf. You mostly blanch it or saute it. It has a reputation for being somewhat bitter, but my experience is that it is very much like spinach, especially when blanched. When it is sauted, it is "heartier, or denser".

I am surprised to NOT find it at local Farm Markets, because it grows wonderful here in Ohio. I didn't get a chance to see where you live. Anyway, I'll try to post tonight!! Glad to know you discovered one of my favorite summer veggies!!

[SandyM]

You guys are awesome! Thanks for the info, Vanessa. Lorilei, the picture came thru perfectly - now I don't have to look like a dork and ask the produce guy to point it out for me! I called our new local produce market, and they told me they have the "rainbow" variety right now, and that it's generally available here year round. Jeanne, thank you for the info - I live in Michigan, and it's great to know I can grow it here! If you would e-mail the recipes to me, or post them here, that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all again!

[Connie]

Jeanne,

Thanks for sharing the recipes. I still have not made the greens and ricotta pie, but will soon!

We were just in NH for vacation, and the owner of the b&b we stayed at grows "rhubarb chard". I have never heard of it, but the leaves are smaller and more colorful than the standard swiss chard. Has anyone seen or tried it?

[mlou]