Swiss chard is a vegetable in the beet family, grown for its dark green leaves rather than its roots. It is very nutritious and an excellent source of many vitamins. It also contains far more minerals than many other vegetables and has a lot of fiber. When prepared and cooked well, it is delicious. If you want to know how to prepare and use it in various delicious recipes, follow these instructions.
Ingrediants
Sautéed Swiss Chard with Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 2 tablespoons of oil
- 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
- 1/2 small red onion, diced
- 1 bunch of chard
- 1/2 glass of dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
- salt as required
Tasty chard
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of chopped red pepper
- 1 crushed clove of garlic
- 1/2 kilo of champignon mushrooms
- 1 leek cut into pieces
- 1 glass of chicken broth
- 1 bunch of chard
- 2 glasses of grated Parmesan cheese
Sweet and Spiced Swiss Chard
- 1/2 glass of sherry
- 100 g of raisins
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 100 g of chopped almonds
- 4 finely chopped garlic cloves
- 4 bunches of chard
- 1 red jalapeño
- 1 tablespoon of grated lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons of lemon juice
- salt and pepper as required
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Method 1 of 5: Choosing and preparing chard
Step 1. Choose healthy chard
To do this, look for leaves with clear, dense leaves that are not brownish, limp, or damaged. The stalks of the chard are delicate, so look for stiff, undamaged ones. There are several types of chard, whichever type you choose should look healthy, full, stay afloat and not be limp or dangling.
Step 2. Choose from a variety of Swiss chard
There are several. The rib, which is the part of the stem that extends to the leaves, can be red, white, or yellow. Varieties have different tastes, experiment to find your favorite. Red-ribbed beets are usually sweeter, with less bitter aftertaste than white chard. All varieties are prepared in the same way, but they can have different tastes.
The ribs of different varieties of chard have different widths. Some prefer the ribs of the chard, others the leaves. If you prefer ribs, choose chard with wide ribs. If you prefer leaves, choose chard with thinner veins
Step 3. Wash the chard
Before cooking them, you need to wash them. First of all, wash them thoroughly by rinsing them in a sink full of cold water. You can also repeat the operation by changing the water, if they are not well cleaned. If you got the chard from the farmer, they will be very fresh and more likely to have soil on them, so wash them well. Don't wash them until just before cooking, or they will wilt.
Step 4. Decide whether to separate the beets or leave them whole
Small chard leaves can be left whole or added to the salad, and larger leaves with thin veins can also be left whole for cooking. On the other hand, if you cook chard with thick ribs, you should separate the ribs from the leaves, because the former need a few more minutes of cooking, being harder.
Method 2 of 5: Cooking the Swiss Chard
Step 1. Steam the chard in a steamer
Add the thick ribs to the pot a few minutes before the green part of the leaves. The leaves cook in 1 or 2 minutes. Chard is ready when it is soft and limp.
Step 2. Steam the chard in the microwave
Steam the fine-ribbed chard whole in the microwave with the water left over after washing. About 1 or 2 minutes. Microwaves have different powers, so keep an eye on the chard until you find the right cooking time and power. If you overcook them they will be soggy, so start checking them after a minute.
Step 3. Simmer the chard in a pan
Put enough water to completely cover them. Add the thick veins 1 to 2 minutes before the green part of the leaves. Then cook 1 or 2 minutes more.
Step 4. Stir-fried Swiss chard over medium heat
Put 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil or butter in a saucepan and heat it up. Then, add the stalks of the chard and cook them for 2-3 minutes before adding the leaves. You can also cut the stems into pieces to make it smoother. Continue cooking the chard for about five minutes until soft.
Step 5. Freeze the chard
You can also freeze them and store them for a year. Wash them and then let them blanch for 2-3 minutes. Cool them on ice. Drain them and place them in airtight freezer bags without leaving air inside. Put in the freezer.
Method 3 of 5: Sautéed Swiss Chard with Parmesan
Step 1. Remove the leaves from the chard
Remove the leaves from the stem and midrib. Cut them into large pieces and put them in a bowl.
Step 2. Cut the stalks and ribs of the chard into small pieces
Make them in 5-6 cm pieces.
Step 3. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan
Melt them over medium-high heat and wait for the butter to melt completely.
Step 4. Stir in 1 tablespoon of minced garlic and 1/2 small chopped red onion
Cook them together for at least 20 seconds, until the mixture is fragrant.
Step 5. Add the stalks of the chard and 1/2 cup of dry white wine to the mixture
Simmer the stems for 5 minutes or until they begin to soften.
Step 6. Add while mixing the leaves
Cook the chard until the leaves are soft, at least another 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and put the chard in a bowl.
Step 7. Stir in 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
Stir the chard until the lemon juice and cheese are evenly distributed. Hall at will.
Step 8. Serve the chard
Place the chard on a serving plate and enjoy as a side dish.
Method 4 of 5: Savory Swiss Chard
Step 1. Remove the stem and cut the mushrooms
Cut the mushrooms from the half-kilo package into 1 to 5 cm long pieces.
Step 2. Cut the chard to size and chop
You don't have to cut them into perfect and equal pieces, but enough to fit in the pot, with the leaves no longer than 12 cm.
Step 3. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat
Step 4. Add 1 teaspoon of chopped red pepper and 1 minced clove of garlic to the oil
Step 5. Add stirring mushrooms to the mixture
Stir the mushrooms until they have softened and have begun to release their liquid. This should take 3-5 minutes.
Step 6. Stir in a chopped leek to the mixture
Cook for another 5 minutes, until the leek softens.
Step 7. Stir in 1 glass of chicken broth and chard
Cover everything and simmer until the leaves are limp. This should take about 10 minutes.
Step 8. Remove the lid
Continue cooking the chard until soft and most of the liquid has evaporated. Be careful not to burn them if the liquid evaporates too soon. This should take about 5 minutes.
Step 9. Sprinkle the chard with 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan
Let the chard rest until the cheese has melted.
Step 10. Serve them
Serve chard and mushrooms as a side dish, or even as a main course. You can use them as a pasta sauce for a delicious meal.
Method 5 of 5: Sweet and Spiced Swiss Chard
Step 1. Remove the midrib and stem of the chard
You won't need it for this recipe.
Step 2. Cut the leaves into 5 cm pieces
Step 3. Bring half a glass of sherry and half raisins to a simmer in a saucepan
Step 4. Remove from heat
Let the mixture cool.
Step 5. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat
Step 6. Stir in 100g of sliced almonds
Let the almonds cook until they turn brown, stirring frequently. This should take about 2 minutes.
Step 7. Add 4 finely chopped garlic cloves
Cook for one minute, until the garlic is fragrant but not brown.
Step 8. Add the chard to the pan
Add the beets in handfuls, putting them inside to make them sag to make room for the next ones. Cook until the beets are soft, it will take about 4 minutes.
Step 9. Pour the raisin and sherry mixture over the chard
Step 10. Add 1 tablespoon of grated lemon zest, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, and 1 thinly sliced jalapeño to the mixture
Step 11. Salt and pepper to taste
Mix the chard to combine all flavors.
Step 12. Serve them
Serve these sweet, spicy chard as a topping.
Advice
- Beets are not suitable for jars.
- Red-stemmed beets will release the color onto the other foods they are cooked with.
- Freeze the beets to keep them for up to a year. Wash them as described above. Blanch them for 2-3 minutes. Cool them on ice. Drain them and place them in airtight, air-free freezer bags.
