Chard scramble

The earthy, green flavor of chard marries perfectly with the creamy umame of scrambled eggs.  Addictive.

Prep time:  5 minutes
Cook time:  10 minutes
Serves:  2 generously

INGREDIENTS
4 eggs
4 tablespoons milk or water
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese (or your favorite)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups coarsely chopped chard leaves
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, then whisk in the milk and the cheese.  Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the chard, stirring, for 2 minutes or until leaves are wilted.

Turn heat to medium low and pour the egg mixture over the hot chard.  Cook, stirring slowly and constantly, for 2-4 minutes or until the eggs are cooked to the consistency you like.

Serve, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

Variation:  Add in a little minced jalapeno when you saute the chard.

Photo and recipe by Tod Dimmick

Chard Sauteed with Garlic and Red Bell Pepper

Pasta with Fava Beans, Chard, and Parsley

There's a kindred spirit between earthy, al dente whole wheat pasta and the earthy, vibrant flavors of fresh chard and parsley. Layer in the richness of fava beans and sauteed onions, and this is a dish to make more than once.




Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4-6 with leftovers

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium sized onion, chopped
1 small bunch chard, stems and leaves separated and chopped
1-2 cups prepared fava beans*
1 bunch parsley, washed and coarsely chopped
1 pound whole wheat pasta, your favorite
Salt and pepper to taste
Freshly shredded Parmesan Cheese

DIRECTIONS
Heat water for the pasta.

Saute the onion for 5 minutes in the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chard stems and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring. Add the chard leaves, cover, and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring once or twice, or until leaves are wilted. Stir in the prepared fava beans and set aside.

Cook the pasta, drain, and return pasta to the cooking pot. Stir in the vegetable mix from the skillet, and the chopped parsley. Distribute to serving plates, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper and topping with Parmesan.

*To prepare fresh fava beans in the amount called for in this recipe, start with about two pounds of fava bean pods.  Remove the beans, and  cook them for two minutes in salted boiling water.  Drain in a colander, and then place beans in a bowl of ice water.  Drain, and then carefully slip the outer covering off each bean (discard outer covering).  Place beans in a bowl, and they are ready to use.

Variation - substitute other prepared dry beans for the favas.

This dish is gorgeous with a dry rose wine. Enjoy while looking out over the vineyards, with Mt. Ventoux in the distance.  The bike ride to the top can wait until tomorrow.

Pasta with Fava Beans & Chard Stems

Photo:
Tod Dimmick















Chard stems don't get enough respect. Sometimes (gasp) they are even discarded. But the delicious, earthy, crunchy flavor is perfect in many dishes.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4-6, probably with leftovers

1 lb. whole wheat egg noodles (or your favorite pasta)
3 TB olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large bunch chard, leaves removed for another use, stems washed and chopped into 1/2" pieces
2 cups cooked fava beans
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 TB minced dill
1 TB balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
shredded Parmesan cheese for garnish

Cook the pasta. While pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the onion for 5 minutes, stirring. Add the garlic and the chard stems and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the fava beans and heat. Drain the pasta when al dente, return to the pasta pot, and stir in the vegetables from the skillet, the parsley, and the dill.

Serve, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper and topping with Parmesan cheese.

Variation: add chopped cooked chicken, pork, or sausage.

Served up by Tod Dimmick,
AKA "The Foodie" at 1000radishes

Powisett Ravioli with Swiss Chard

(adapted from The Classic Italian Cookbook by Marcella Hazan, 1983)

Filling
2 large bunches Swiss chard
2 ½ T finely chopped yellow onion
3 ½ T prosciutto, rolled pancetta, or unsmoked ham
¼ cup butter
1 cup fresh ricotta
1 egg yolk
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
¼ to ½ t. nutmeg

A sheet of homemade pasta dough, made with 2 eggs, 1 ½ cups all-purpose flower, and 2 t. milk.

Take the stalks off the chard, and cook in a covered saucepan with ¼ tsp. salt for about 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and squeeze all moisture. Chop very fine.

Saute the onion and prosciutto (I used Canadian bacon), in butter with a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped cook swiss chard and cook for 2-3 minutes until all butter is absorbed.

Transfer contents of the skillet to a mixing bowl. Add ricotta, egg yolk, Parmesan, and nutmeg and mix until well combined. Taste and correct for salt and nutmeg.

Tomato Sauce
1 small onion, chopped
3 T. finely chopped carrot
3 T. finely chopped celery
2 ½ cups roughly chopped tomatoes
2 t. salt
¼ t. granulated sugar (or 1 t. honey)
½ cup heavy cream

Saute the onion, carrot and celery in olive oil. Add tomatoes and bring to barely a simmer. Cook uncovered over low heat for at least an hour. I puree this mixture in a food processor.

Skillet Harvest

This dish marries diverse veggies - chard, onions, & sweet peppers, with the common thread of egg and Parmesan.

3 TB olive oil
1 fresh onion, 1/4 inch dice
2 sweet peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 bunch chard, cleaned and coarsely chopped, stems separate from the leaves
1 egg, whisked
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a saute pan or skillet over medium heat and cook the onion, pepper, and chard stems for 7 minutes, stirring. Add the leaves and cook for another 4-5 minutes or until the leaves are wilted and the peppers are tender. Pour the egg over the vegetables and stir to mix. Mix in the Parmesan, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Serve to sighs of satisfaction.

Served up by Tod Dimmick,
AKA "The Foodie" at 1000radishes

Balsamic Chard

Photo:
Tod Dimmick










The rich, earthy flavor of Swiss Chard pairs perfectly with the sweet acidity of balsamic vinegar.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 8 minutes
Serves: 4

1 large bunch Swiss chard, rinsed and coarsely chopped, stems separated from the leaves.
1-2 TB balsamic vinegar

Place chard stems in a vegetable steamer with an inch of water in the bottom. Bring to a boil over medium heat and steam for 3 minutes. Add the leaves and steam for another 4-5 minutes or until tender. Distribute to serving plates and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

This method will also work with spinach.

Served up by Tod Dimmick,
AKA "The Foodie" at 1000radishes

Chard

Swiss chard, or chard, is a leafy green related to beets and spinach and is found in shares from early summer to early fall. Here we grow Rainbow Chard, a multicolored variety with red, pink, white, yellow, and orange crunchy stalks and green leaves. It's high in vitamins K, A, C, manganese, magnesium, potassium, iron and fiber.

Store chard unwashed in a loose plastic bag in the fridge and soak or rinse under cold water before using. The stalk and leaf are both edible. Since the stalks need more time to cook, add it to recipes before the leaves. It can be easily sauteed in garlic and oil, steamed, substituted anytime for spinach, added to lasagna, pasta and vegetables, omelets and frittatas, or rolled up and stuffed with veggies and grains. Quickly dropping chard into boiling water for a few moments before sauteeing may make the greens sweeter by reducing oxalic acids.

Swiss Chard with Raisins and Pine Nuts
From epicurious.com
1 1/2 pounds Swiss chard
1/2 cup pine nuts (2 1/2 ounces)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup raisins, finely chopped
1 cup water

Tear chard leaves from stems, then coarsely chop stems and leaves separately. Toast nuts in oil in a wide 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until golden, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, then transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and season with salt. Cook onion in oil remaining in pot, stirring occasionally, 1 minute, then add chard stems and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Add raisins and 1/2 cup water and simmer, covered, until stems are softened, about 3 minutes. Add chard leaves and remaining 1/2 cup water and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until leaves are tender, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with nuts.

Swiss Chard Pie

ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons oil,
1 bunch swiss chard
6 eggs
1 cup shredded cheese
1 teaspoon salt
2 pie crusts

heat oven to 400 degrees. brown onion and garlic in oil. trim and chop chard, add to pan, and cook down until wilted. beat eggs in a bowl, mix in cheese, salt and chard mixture. pour into pie crusts, bake until knife inserted into center comes out clean. (about 30-40 minutes).