Food on the Table

This week I chose a vegetable that is in abundance right now and makes a beautiful, nutritious side dish.  I am talking about Swiss chard.  Swiss chard is a green that belongs to the same family as spinach and beets with a similar taste profile.  It is a tall leafy green that has a thick stalk that can either be white, red or yellow.  The leaves may be smooth or curly, depending on the variety.  The stalk and the leaves are both edible.  The stalk can be tough, but once cooked down adds great texture to the dish.  Swiss chard is also sometimes labeled as rainbow chard.

Swiss chard is another one of those “superfoods” that is nutritionally dense and packed with vitamins.  Swiss chard is high in vitamin A and beta carotene which are important vision nutrients.  There is also a significant amount of Vitamin K which is good for bone health.  Swiss chards health benefits continue with beneficial amounts of fiber, iron and Vitamin E as well.

When choosing chard, you always want to choose leaves that are vibrant green and not wilted.  The stalks should be crisp, firm and unblemished.  Store unwashed chard in your refrigerator crisper drawer.  It should last up to three days.  Before you are ready to use, put chard in a big bowl of cold water.  Rinse chard thoroughly and dry with paper towels.  The leaves need to be taken off the stalk and the stalks either discarded or chopped into a small dice for the recipe.  This vegetable is a great way to get little picky eaters into the kitchen.  In my experience when you get the kids involved in the dish, they are more open-minded to try new things especially if it’s a cool looking vegetable.  They can help to take the leaves off the stem and tear them.  Since greens cook down so fast, this is a big help because you need a lot of greens to start off with.

For this week’s recipe, I chose a simple side dish of Braised Swiss Chard.  It is sweet and tangy and goes great with grilled pork chops and a simple salad.  This makes a delicious and nutritious summertime meal.  Bon Appétit!

Braised Swiss Chard

2 bunches Swiss chard
3-4 slices bacon, diced
1 tablespoon butter
1 granny smith apple, peeled and diced
½ yellow onion, sliced
¼ teaspoon sugar
¾-1 cup chicken stock
2-3 tablespoons cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large sauté pan, cook bacon in butter over medium heat.  Add onion slices, sugar, and apples.  For Swiss chard, tear leaves off stems and dice stems into a small dice.  Add both to sauté pan.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add chicken stock.  Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.  Make sure to not let the pan get dry.  If the pan gets dry, add more chicken stock.  After 10 minutes, add vinegar and check seasoning.  Let liquid reduce another 5 minutes uncovered and serve.

What is your secret recipe for introducing new vegetables into the mix?

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