swiss chard jelly

[bj taylor]

forgive me for being bizarre here but i'm looking for ways to use my swiss chard before the heat takes it out. it's huge with big stalks that look a lot like rhubarb stalks. sooo, I wondered if I cut it up (the stalks), cooked it down w/a touch of lemon juice and some kind of sweetener if I would end up w/something edible or something to add to the trash.

 

[vfem]

No way to know without trying it I guess!

I would probably try a swiss chard pesto, and then freeze it for later use. I do that with extra spinach, basil and mixed greens.

 

[bj taylor]

the pesto is a good idea. i have walnuts - no pine nuts. i think i have some parm too. that would take care of the leaves for sure. thanks. good idea vfem

 

[baymule]

Let us know how your chard jelly turns out!

 

[lesa]

I cut mine up, steam it for a few minutes and then squeeze the water out of it, and freeze it in small balls. These can be added to any dish you are making- pasta, soups, stir fries, etc. The crazy thing is that you get a great dose of nutrition, and you hardly know it is there. This is the main way I use swiss chard.

 

[bj taylor]

lesa, that is brilliant! it's been bugging me that I've got all this beautiful nutrition sitting out in the garden and i'm going to lose it if I don't do something with it. you could make a million bucks with that idea. what would you call them?
something spiffy.

now, what about the kale??? it too is big, beautiful, and going to go to waste if I don't come up with something. I can't quite get 'kale jelly' to work in my head.

 

[ninnymary]

bj, I blanched my fall kale and froze it. I use it on my pasta and spaghetti.

Mary

 

[lesa]

Yup, you can do the exact same thing with kale! Don't let it go to waste.

 

[vfem]

Good idea Mary, I'm going to pick the rest of my kale soon and maybe we'll just do that. Zoe absolutely loved me adding kale to the chicken pot pie I made the other night. DELICIOUS!!!

 

[Stubbornhillfarm]

And if you have never tired Kale chips, Oooooooo.....Yummy!

Could you use the swiss chard in a fresh salsa? I love all of the other ideas too. I just have never really cared for chard. You know...the one time I tried it.