Chard uses?

[10 ga]

On advice of my brother I planted some chard in the garden for summer greens. It is really pretty and likes the hot weather we're having. Now how do I use it? My first try is wash, then cook like it's cresses, collards or kale (my favorite greens). Any other suggestions? Thanks, 10

[ph4570]

Good in salads and great cooked as you indicate. I have some in the greenhouse and you are right -- it does not mind the heat.

[358wcf]

A staple in my family, and everyone loves it!
Brown some bacon in a large pot, and sweat down some yellow or white onion as well, along with some chopped garlic- over moderate heat, fill the pot with coarse chopped chard, and toss w/tongs. Don't let it burn, but watch it shrink down as it cooks. Add more to aqain fill the pot, toss, etc. Perhaps a wee bit of water to help it steam at bit under cover. You won't believe the volume of chard you can cook down in a large pot. You'll need that large pot full to feed a family, as everyone wants more-- Good served with salt, pepper, and a bit of butter. The wife likes a bit of vinegar on hers-
I plant at least 4 rows every year- good stuff!

Chuck
358wcf [smilie=1:[smilie=1:[smilie=1:

[square butte]

My wife makes what she calls a chard pie. Uses eggs, cheese, fillo doe and puts it in layers - then baked. Really like it.

[trooperdan]

My wife served chard leaves in lemon oil recently and it was darned good! But the real winner was some chard stems, breaded and deep fried that were wonderful!

[Changeling]

Just think of it as a spinich substatute, only beter. Cook like spinach add a fair amount of butter you know the rest!!!!

[Von Gruff]

Mrs Gruff likes to add a few leaves and especially the finely chopped stems to most of the other greens. We use it mostly as a winter green and I usually only grow the red stem-dark red leaf and the red stem-dark green leaf. Usually pull the yellow stem- light green leaf out at thining time. Done with cabbage with butter and pepper it is a very welcome and tasty addition to the table. Often with the leaf done in with cabbage or sprouts the finely chopped stems can be micro waved for a few minutes withteaspoon or two of water a knob of butter and lemmon pepper then mixed in with broad beans for a visual and taste treat.

Von Gruff.

[legend]

Swiss chard,romano pole beans,beet greens,bacon=heaven!!!

[dominicfortune00]

My mom puts it in ravioli meat filling and soup, usually vegatable or wedding.

[PatMarlin]

Does chard come back on it's own every year, or is that collards?

[lavenatti]

Whenever my chard makes it through the winter I dig it out and toss it in the compost. It always seems to go straight to seed it's second year.

[Longwood]

When I had a garden, it was near my chicken pen. The chickens ignored me until I got close to the chard. They would then run back and forth along the fence hoping I was going to pick some for them. It sure did make the egg yokes nice and dark.
My parents had a huge garden every year and did not grow it.
I learned about it when I was over 30 years old. I like it better than spinach and I like spinach raw or cooked.

[Longwood]

If you like "Wilted spinach", you will love chard done the same way.

[GrayFox]

Down here in the Hotlanta area with our 10 degree hotter than normal spring, my white and red chards are one of the few things other than okra that are making it besides tomatoes and peppers. We only use them as a spinach substitute in salads, but often. For some reason, the bugs seem to eat the leaves of the red much more than the white. Perhaps they're attracted to that color.

My wife likes collard greens, but being a Yankee, I don't. I may try steaming some red and white chard for five minutes or so, then adding butter and some vinegar plus fresh ground pepper. Bet it would sure beat the canned spinach my mother used to serve!

[Longwood]

Down here in the Hotlanta area with our 10 degree hotter than normal spring, my white and red chards are one of the few things other than okra that are making it besides tomatoes and peppers. We only use them as a spinach substitute in salads, but often. For some reason, the bugs seem to eat the leaves of the red much more than the white. Perhaps they're attracted to that color.

My wife likes collard greens, but being a Yankee, I don't. I may try steaming some red and white chard for five minutes or so, then adding butter and some vinegar plus fresh ground pepper. Bet it would sure beat the canned spinach my mother used to serve!

Those bugs are "Dressing" to the chickens. I would spray them off of most of the chard but left some on what I planned on feeding the chickens.
Look up the recipe for wilted spinach. It's right up there with fried Okra in my book.