SO MANY WAYS WITH CHARD...

By Global Gardens Lead Recipe Volunteer Ruth

Chard grows well in Global Gardens, it is a beautiful plant and very nutritious. Not everyone says they like it, perhaps partly due to its slightly earthy taste, but it can be cooked in lots of scrumptious ways. Here are a few ideas, do share yours …..

Chinese style chard

Cook shredded chard in vegetable oil and a little minced ginger and garlic - plus a pinch of chilli flakes if you like - until soft. At the end stir in a small amount of soy sauce to your taste. It can be finished off with a drizzle of sesame oil if you have some but this is not essential.

Saag Aloo

There are hundreds of recipes on line for this comforting Indian potato dish, which can be made with a range of greens. Spinach is generally used in the UK, but it is really very good made with chard, cooked down until it is very soft. You can include the stems or not, depending on your preference.

Chard, chick peas and tomatoes

Fry 3 cloves of garlic in vegetable oil for 1 minute and add a tin of chopped tomatoes (or equivalent fresh). Simmer I minute then add about 500 grammes of chopped chard (this amount very flexible), 4 chopped fresh sage leaves or some oregano, a can of drained chick peas and ½ teaspoon salt. You can add a little water if it seems dry. Cook for 20-30 minutes., stirring occasionally. Taste for seasoning and adjust then drizzle over a little olive oil before serving. Nice served with roasted peppers….

Garlicky chard stems

Cook the thick stems separately in olive oil and garlic until your desired texture. Cover the pan if it is dry to prevent the garlic from browning. If you like, stir in some halved cherry tomatoes and warm through at the end. When cooked, adjust seasoning to you liking and finish with chopped parsley or chervil.

TIP

Chard stems are big and fleshy, so it is sometimes best to add them to the cooking pot first and sweat down, before adding the leaves. Some chard stems can be a bit tough and wirey, so check and maybe put these in the compost instead. .

WASTE FREE

Always pick chard from the outside, not the inner core.Then the plant will keep growing and producing leaves throughout the season.