# Swiss chard - comments/ideas



## danpeikes (Jun 14, 2009)

can you eat swiss chard raw.  i have never worked with it but I love he way it looks.  How do ypu work with it?


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## Lizannd (Jun 15, 2009)

*here's a recipe for acqua cotta recreated from Lidia Bastianich's tv shoe.*

1 onion, finely chopped 
2 ribs celery plus leaves,
about 1 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves,
about 1 cup loosely packed basil leaves
2-3 T. tomato paste (or 1 fresh tomato, peeled and chopped)
1 tsp dried chili flakes
3-4 T. approx. olive oil
1 bunch chard, deribbed, sliced in thick ribbons, (I also finely slice the ribs and add them and I will also mix colors of chard, red and yellow and green)
Salt to taste
5 eggs
Slices of grilled Italian bread (stale is just fine)

In a food processor, finely chop onion, celery ribs + leaves, parsley and basil. 
Heat about 3 tablespoons olive oil in a haevy stock pot and cook this mixture for several minutes til it begins to dry and caramelize slightly.
Push onion mixture to one side of the pan, and add an additional tablespoon of oil. Fry the chilies for a minute, and add the tomato paste. Fry for a few seconds, then mix together with the onion mixture.
Add your chard, well-washed, with white ribs cut out, sliced into wide ribbons. Add boiling water(about 8 to 10 cups?) to completely cover greens and cook at a vigorous simmer for about 40 minutes. Salt to taste.
Ladle several cups of the finished soup back into a deep sauté pan and keep it at a simmering boil. Create 5 slight indentations in the chard and crack an egg into each one to poach. This will take only a few minutes to cook in the hot broth and you want the centers/yolks to remain runny.
In individual soup bowls place a couple of slices of grilled bread that has been rubbed with garlic. Use a spatula to carefully lift a poach egg with plenty of veggies underneath onto the bread and then ladle plenty of the soup around it. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese.


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## silentmeow (Jun 15, 2009)

It's nasty raw. IMHO it's very bitter raw.  I always steam it or just cook it like I would spinach.


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## Constance (Jun 15, 2009)

I grew some beautiful Rainbow Swiss Chard one year, and I can tell you that it really needs to be cooked just a little. I sauteed the stems in garlic butter for a few minutes and then added the julienned leaves. Add a pinch of salt, pepper and sugar.

It's supposed to be good in a soup, as well, but I haven't tried that.

By the way, it's really good for you!


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## lifesaver (Jun 15, 2009)

Oh Yum! That sounds delicious.


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## Robo410 (Jun 15, 2009)

love it sauteed with garlic onion or shallot and a bit of broth or white wine, a pinch of red pepper flake.

great steamed with fish


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## jei (Jul 14, 2009)

I used some in place of spinach in an omelet; did the same with kale. Both worked just fine.


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## Wyogal (Jul 14, 2009)

I second what Robo said... yummmmmmmmy!


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## CasperImproved (Jul 14, 2009)

I've never had a recipe that was developed out of a shoe 

But I do like swiss chard even raw. I just mix it with other greens as part of a salad. too much bitter is not tasty. But as part of a salad, and not just a main star, it can be good.

Bob


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## letscook (Jul 14, 2009)

love it, cook it as if you were using spinach. Love to steam it and then lightly saute in lil olive oil , shallots and lil garlic,  then eat it with a sprinkle of vinegar on it.  yum.


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## justplainbill (Jul 14, 2009)

Constance said:


> I grew some beautiful Rainbow Swiss Chard one year, and I can tell you that it really needs to be cooked just a little. I sauteed the stems in garlic butter for a few minutes and then added the julienned leaves. Add a pinch of salt, pepper and sugar.
> 
> It's supposed to be good in a soup, as well, but I haven't tried that.
> 
> By the way, it's really good for you!


Stems are good in a soup made like cream of celery soup.


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## Scotch (Jul 14, 2009)

It gives me diverticulitis.


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## CasperImproved (Jul 14, 2009)

Scotch said:


> It gives me diverticulitis.




I'd ask you to explain, but i fear it might be difficult 

Bob


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## BreezyCooking (Jul 14, 2009)

Swiss Chard is one of my favorite green vegetables. I like the "Bright Lights" (aka "Rainbow") variety the best, as not only do the stems seem more tender & less fibrous to me than the white & ruby types, but the stems also retain most of those lovely colors after cooking.

My favorite way of preparing it is to bring a large pot of water to a boil. Separate the leaves from the stems, slice the stems into 1" pieces & boil for 5 minutes. Roughly chop the leaves & add them to the water as well for another 5 minutes. Drain well in a colander. Put a couple of dollops of extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet & stir in a few cloves of chopped garlic for just a minute or so (DON'T let your garlice brown/burn). Add in your drained chard along with a couple of dashes of crushed red pepper flakes, a squeeze of lemon juice (or wine vinegar or dry white wine), & a small handful of dry bread crumbs to help bind in all those wonderful flavors. Makes an absolutely delicious accompaniment to Turkey or Chicken Piccata, or a Greek or Italian-style fish dish. Leftovers also make a wonderful filling for a stuffed meatloaf.


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## CasperImproved (Jul 14, 2009)

Thanks BC - I am furiously thinking about how to apply what you said to a future meal. Since I write down nothing, I have to get furious, or I don't remember... I know, a bit stupid. But it works for me 

Bob


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