Recipes
Rainbow chard or Swiss chard
This amazing leafy green vegetables is in season from June and it tastes delicious.
Both the leaves and stalk of chard are edible and their taste resembles the bitterness of beet greens and the slightly salty flavor of spinach leaves. They are an excellent source of carotene, vitamins C, E and K, dietary fiber and chlorophyll.
They are also an excellent source of many minerals, including magnesium, potassium, iron and manganese. In addition its a good source of nutrients including vitamin B6, calcium, protein, thiamine, zinc, niacin, folate and selenium.
Safety tip - chard contains high amounts of oxalate. Individuals with a history of oxalate-containing kidney stones should avoid overeating chard.
Recipe ideas
▫ Braise chard slightly then sprinkle with chopped walnuts and top with a little squeeze of fresh orange juice.
▫ You can add chopped chard to pasta dishes at the end stage of cooking, so it wilts slightly but doesn't over cook
▫ Chard also tastes amazing in omelettes or frittatas - simply chop and add as the eggs are cooking
Braised chard with lentils
This is a lovely side dish and a great way to include greens in your meal. Try this alongside main meal, it works well with fish as well as red meat, but also complements vegan dishes well.
Ingredients
-
300g Swiss or rainbow chard, leaves and stalks separated
-
2 tbsp good-quality olive oil
-
1 garlic clove, sliced
-
1 red chilli, de-seeded and chopped
-
250g pouch cooked puy lentils
-
squeeze lemon juice
Method
Cut the chard stalks into batons and roughly shred the leaves. Heat half the olive oil in a large sauté pan.
Add the chard stalks, garlic, chilli and a splash of water. Cook over a low heat for 8-10 mins until softened, then add the leaves and cook until completely wilted.
Prepare the lentils following pack instructions or cook in a pan with sufficient amount of water to cover the lentils. Before cooking rinse thoroughly and add pinch of salt.
Take the chard off the heat and stir through the lentils. Season, dress with more olive oil and the lemon juice, then serve.
