We grow the Ruby Red, Rainbow Mix (pictured), and Northern Lights Mix varieties.

The sections below were copied with permission from Mi Ae Lipe’s Tastes from the Valley to Bluff: The Featherstone Farm Cookbook (2008).

Storage

Refrigerate unwashed chard in a perforated plastic bag in the vegetable crisper, where it will keep for several days.

Complementary Herbs, Seasonings, & Foods

Butter, cheese, cream, eggs, garlic, lemon, nutmeg, olive oil, onions, pasta, peppers, pine nuts, raisins, saffron, tomatoes, walnuts

Serving Suggestions

• Very young leaves can be eaten raw in salads, or used like lettuce in sandwiches. Try a BCT (bacon-chard-tomato sandwich).

• Use young, tender leaves raw in salads as a substitute for lettuce.

• If you love the taste of southern-style greens but don't have nearly enough time to leisurely boil the greens for hours, do a quicker version with chard, boiled for an hour with a ham hock, salt pork, several strips of bacon, even liquid smoke, along with a little vinegar, hot pepper sauce, salt, and sugar.

• Roasting the stems carmelizes them; drizzle with olive oil, garlic, salat, and pepper and roast for 20 minutes at 400°F.

• Boil chard leaves and leaves separately and pat dry. Add diced bacon, pancetta, or proscuitto, and reheat.

• Wrap the big leaves around small fish for steaming or roasting on the grill.

• Use the leaves as a substitute for tortillas in tacos or fajitas.

• Try lightly steamed chard with a hot bacon dressing, like wilted spinach.

• The robust, substantial leaves of chard complement equally robust meats--- ham, pork, pot roast, and lamb.

• Wrap lightly steamed chard leaves around your favorite vegetable or grain salad and roll into a package, like grape leaves in dolmas. Bake in a medium-heat oven and enjoy this nutrient-superstar alternative to stuffed cabbage.

Link

Cook Out of the Box - Focus: Chard

Recipes

Chard with Raisins and Almonds (serves 4 to 6)

A wonderful dish for kids, who love its sweetness and bright colors.

1/4 cup slivered almonds

2 pounds rainbow chard

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup apple juice

1/2 cup raisins

2 tablespoons butter

1. Toast the almonds (an oven broiler is useful for this).

2. Wash the chard, but do not dry it. Cut the leaves away from the stems and roll into a chiffonade. Slice crosswise to shred the leaves. Then cut the stems into 1/2-inch pieces. In a large pan, sauté the chard stems in the water for about 4 minutes; then add the leaves and cook until they turn tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in apple juice and raisins.

3. Then top with the butter and almonds, and toss lightly. Serve at once.

Credit: Ruth Charles, Featherstone Farm CSA member

Baked Chard Casserole (serves six)

Cook and chop chard stems and leaves. You should end up with about 3 cups chopped cooked chard. Lightly brown 1 cup chopped onion. Beat together 6 eggs, 2 cups milk or half and half, 1 t. salt, 2 T. fresh chopped dill. Add the chard and onion and some chopped ham if desired. Bake at 350 degrees until set - about half an hour depending on the size of pan used. For a more substantial dish, add 2 cups cubed bread along with 2 extra beaten eggs and an extra one cup milk. You may also wish to increase the salt and dill.

Credit: Cook Out of the Box - Focus: Chard

Chard with Hot Bacon Dressing

Cook chard stems and leaves just until tender.  Serve with hot bacon dressing.

Bacon dressing (enough for about 4 servings): Fry 4 pieces bacon. Remove bacon pieces when done and reserve bacon fat. Saute some onion or garlic in the fat. Add 1 T. sugar and 2 T. cider vinegar to pan. Add a little extra olive oil if there is not much bacon fat.  Add a little celery seed and salt and pepper to taste. Pour over chard.

Credit: Cook Out of the Box - Focus: Chard

Stuffed Chard Leaves

Lightly steam large chard leaves.  Leave whole and lay out on a clean counter or board to cool. Make your favorite filling using some rice or bulgar, currants, ground meat, crumbled feta cheese, dill or parsley or mint or some of each. Optional - use a little beaten egg as a binder. Put about 1/4-1/3 cup filling on each leaf, depending on size. Roll up tucking in the sides, like an egg roll. Place in an oiled dish, drizzle on some olive oil and bake in a moderate oven until heated through. May be served hot or at room temperature. Good served with plain or herbed yogurt on the side, and pita bread.

Credit: Cook Out of the Box - Focus: Chard 

Chard Stew (serves about 4)

Ingredients

2 cups cooked chickpeas, 3 cups canned or chopped fresh tomatoes, 1 pound chard stems and leaves - washed and sliced but not cooked (it will cook with the stew), 1 large onion, 2-3 cloves chopped garlic (you could also use green garlic or even garlic scapes or garlic chives),  2 cups uncooked potatoes - cut in large pieces.

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil.  Add all the other vegetables.  Simmer until everything is tender.  If stew seems too dry, add some white or red wine or broth or even water.  Optional herbs:  parsley, dill, mint. 

Credit: Cook Out of the Box Focus: Chard

Simple Chard with Parmesan

Wash, cook and chop chard - with or without stems. Squeeze dry. Melt butter in a pan (about 1 T. per serving of cooked chard). Add chard and stir until hot and butter is well distributed. Stir in 1/4 cup grated Parmesan per serving. Salt and pepper to taste.

Credit: Cook Out of the Box - Focus: Chard

Potato Soup with Greens and Smoked Pork

Ingredients

6 cups water

1 t. salt

1 pound potatoes peeled if desired, cut into 1/2 inch dice

3/4 pound kale or chard (washed, with tough stems and ribs removed)- cut into 1/2 inch shreds

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup olive oil

4 ounces smoked garlic sausage or smoked bacon, diced and fried until crisp

Preparation

Bring salted water to a boil.  Add potatoes and cook until potatoes are falling apart.  Mash with a potato masher into a puree.  Add greens and garlic and olive oil.  Salt and pepper to taste (remember that meat is salty.)  Simmer about 10 minutes, until greens are tender.  Divide among 4 warmed bowls.  Top each bowl with some of the meat.

Credit: Cook out of the Box 2010 - Week 17 

Last updated on March 16, 2012 by Featherstone Farm