Mmmm.... Swiss chard.
This tasty green is often overshadowed by the ever-popular kale, but chard deserves some time in the spotlight!
The stems are celery-like, and the leaves are nice and crinkly like spinach :).
Chard typically has white, yellow, or red stems, and can be bought separately or in a rainbow-blend of all 3 colors.
Chard is actually in the same family as spinach, beets, and quinoa, so it has some powerhouse nutritional benefits. Chock full of fiber and phytonutrients, it's a GREAT source of vitamins K, A, and C.
It's delicious, nutritious, and super versatile for cooking.
I love chard raw in salads or slaws, quickly sautéed with some garlic and olive oil, or tossed into soup or stews for the perfect finishing touch.
But there's one preparation I come back to again and again.
Chopped swiss chard, quickly sautéed in olive oil and lots of garlic, sprinkled with flaky sea salt, and finished with a fresh squeeze of lemon. YUM.
The nice thing is, you can use the cooking method with pretty much any green. (Spinach, kale, collards, beet greens, etc.)
It's a great easy prep method you'll come back to again and again once you've mastered the basics.
Here's the basic overview:
- Wash the chard well. Rinse the leaves under running water in the sink to remove any dirt and bugs that might be hiding in the leaves and stems. (Don't forget the underside!)
- Chop the leaves and slice the stems. I like to keep it simple. I separate the leaves and stems by chopping off the stems at the base of the chard leaves. Then I roughly chop the leaves (with center stem still attached) and thinly slice the standalone stems. This helps the whole mixture cook more evenly.
- Thinly slice the cloves from a whole head of garlic. I don't skimp on the garlic! This step is what takes the longest, but it's worth it.
- Slow cook the garlic in olive oil. Over low heat until the garlic is nice and soft and sweet.
- Toss the chard in the pan and cook until tender. I told you this was an easy recipe!
Once the chard is tender, hit it with a finish of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkle of flaky Maldon sea salt.
This is sure to become one of your favorite weeknight side dishes. Enjoy!
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 bunches swiss chard (any color)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 head garlic, cloves peeled and thinly sliced
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Sprinkle of flaky sea salt (Maldon is my favorite!)
Instructions
- Wash your Swiss chard throughly (the curly leaves love to capture grit!) and pat dry.
- Cut the stems off at the base of the leaves. Slice the stems crosswise into ½ inch thick slices. Roughly chop the rest of the leaves (I do this by slicing each leaf vertically into 4 long strips, then roughly chopping crosswise into ~2-inch squares). Don't bother removing the inner stems. Just chop them up with the leaves! They're thin enough to cook evenly with everything else.
- Add the olive oil and sliced garlic to a large skillet and cook over low heat, stirring often, until the garlic is tender and just golden, but not browned. This should take about 5-10 minutes. If the garlic is cooking too quickly, turn down the heat.
- When the garlic is tender, add the chard (leaves and stems) and increase the heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chard is just wilted and the stems are crisp tender. About 5 minutes more.
- Turn off the heat, squeeze the lemon over the top of the chard, and sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt. Toss quickly to coat, then serve!
Comments
No Comments