Cooking Tips on Chard

 

Aletha



A member of the beet family, chard is one of the most versatile greens. Its texture and taste are similar to spinach, just slightly heartier. This vegetable has no waste — both leaves and ribs (stems) are edible.
Baby chard can be sautéed whole in butter or oil, or you can toss the tender, raw leaves into salads. Mature chard is best separated into leaves and stems. Slice the leaves and add them to soups or stews, or steam whole leaves for 5 minutes. For a special treat, cook them in a small amount of heavy cream; when the liquid has reduced, add a handful of grated parmesan cheese.
The ribs can be blanched until crisp-tender and added to stir-fries or salads. A poor man's alternative to asparagus, they are delicious served with melted butter or Hollandaise sauce.