Question about Swiss Chard

[Dace]

I planted some beautiful Swiss Chard...'Bright Lights' lovely reds & yellows. I was so excited when it started coming up as I had tried and tried and was down to the last of the seed, when finally it took!

So here is my question, it is sour. I had heard that you could use the stalks as you would celery (chicken salad etc) and admittedly I have only eaten it once before at a restaurant where it was sauteed with some garlic, a little over cooked but very edible....definitely not sour.

Is that normal? Am I doing something wrong? I am highly disappointed.

 

[timberlane]

I stir fry mine or steam it and I like it with a little vinegar.

 

[patandchickens]

Try the smaller leaves (like, 4" or so) if you've been sampling the larger ones and aren't so keen. Also if you're having hot weather, you might re-try in a month or two.

I sautee it briefly with baconfat or garlic and then put on a Tbsp of water and a lid to let it finish steaming for a few minutes; or (mostly) chop it up and put it into soup, omelettes, spaghetti sauce, meatloaf, lasagna, stirfries, fried rice, or anything else that doesn't move fast enough

Have fun,

Pat

 

[bills]

The smaller leaves are usually not as bitter, although I eat the bigger ones as well. I steam them lightly, and put a pad of butter, salt/pepper, and a small squeeze of lemon juice on them. You can also try them with a drizzle of oyster sauce, after steaming.

Keep them watered well, and that may help prevent some of the bitterness. If the soil is quite dry they seem to get more bitter.

 

[me&thegals]

People are probably getting sick of me posting this recipe, but I use it all the time for Swiss chard and any other strong-tasting green (kale, spinach, mustard greens)

Swiss Chard Pie
1 onion, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon oil
1 bunch Swiss chard
6 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 piecrust (see below for no-roll crust recipe)

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brown onion and garlic in oil. Trim and chop chard (can include greens and stems), add to pan and cook down until wilted. Beat eggs and milk in bowl. Mix in salt and chard mixture. Pour into piecrust. Sprinkle cheese on top, pushing slightly into chard mixture. Bake until knife inserted into center comes out clean, about 30-40 min.

Whole-wheat, no-roll piecrust
1 cups flour (whole-wheat pastry flour best, whole-wheat flour okay)
1 tsp sugar
tsp salt
cup oil
3 tbsp milk

Place all ingredients in pie pan. Mix with fork until well blended and pat into the pan. Push pastry up the sides and form a nice edge with thumb and finger. Prick to avoid bubbling during baking.

 

[Ron]

Chard is much better as a cool weather crop. As earlier suggested, it may be much improved in a month or two, once cooler weather sets in. Here on the Upper Gulf Coast of Texas, I don't even plant mine until September.