Chard comes in a rainbow of colors! No matter what color they are, the chard stalks are edible and add texture and flavor to the dishes they’re cooked into. The main source of nutrients is the greens. It is a rich source of calcium and potassium, vitamin C, vitamin A and beta-carotene, as well as two carotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin).

  Garlicky Chard

2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, halved and sliced thin
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 ½ lbs chard, leaves washed and chopped roughly (about 12 packed cups)
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a stockpot deep enough to hold the greens. Add the onions and sauté over medium heat until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add the damp chard, stir well to coat with the oil, cover, and cook, stirring two or three times until wilted, and about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, simmer, uncovered, for several minutes to evaporated any excess liquid. (Serves 4-6) *Note: Chard stems may be eatten too.  Cut stems in 1/2 inch pieces and wash.  Sautee in olive oil with the onion. 

Individual Swiss Chard Custards

½ lb swiss chard leaves
2 Tbs butter
2 eggs
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup milk
1 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper
Nutmeg

Cut off ribs on back sides of larger leaves. Fold each leaf and slice into ¼ x 2 inch diagonal slices. In a large sauté pan, toss chard with butter, then lower heat. Cover pan and simmer for 3-4 minutes until wilted and tenderized. Uncover, turn up heat, and cook, stirring constantly, to evaporate moisture. Cool.  Beat together eggs, cream, milk, salt, pepper, and a dash of nutmeg. Butter four 6 oz molds, and evenly distribute the chard. Pour in the egg mixture, and stir each mold with a fork so that the chard and the custard are well mixed. Set molds in a baking dish and add boiling water halfway up. Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of a custard tests clean. Remove molds from water bath. Let stand for a few minutes. Run a knife around the edges and invert onto a serving platter. (Serves 4)

Chard Leaves in Mornay Sauce

Mornay Sauce:
2 ½ Tbs butter
2 Tbs flour
2 cups milk
½ cup combined grated Swiss ad Parmesan cheeses

Melt butter in sauce pan, add flour, and whisk to remove lumps. Cook slowly for 2-3 minutes, without browning. Off heat, add milk and stir well to remove lumps. Bring sauce to boil, reduce heat, and let simmer slowly at least 5 minutes, adding more milk if you want a thinner sauce. Stir in cheese and cook until cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. (Makes approximately 2 cups of sauce)  Place 4-6 cups sautéed chard leaves, cut into 1-2 inch pieces, into a buttered casserole, add sauce, and top with buttered bread crumbs. Bake in a preheated 450° oven for 2-25 minutes or until the top has a light brown crust and the sides are bubbly.

Pasta With Swiss Chard, Red Peppers and Goat Cheese

1 Bunch Swiss chard, stemmed 
1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 Red bell peppers, cut in small dice
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
1 tsp chopped fresh marjoram
3/4 pound orecchiette or shell pasta
1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled 

Begin heating a large pot of water while you stem and wash the chard. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the water in the pot comes to a boil, salt generously and add the chard. Blanch the chard leaves for one to two minutes until tender. Using a skimmer or a slotted spoon, transfer the chard to a bowl of ice water, then drain and squeeze out excess water. Chop medium-fine. Keep the pot of water at a simmer.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet, and add the bell peppers and the red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring often, until tender, five to eight minutes. Add the garlic and salt to taste, and stir for half a minute. Then stir in the chopped chard and the marjoram. Stir together for a few seconds, then turn the heat to very low.

Bring the water in the pasta pot back to a boil, and add the orecchiette. Cook al dente, following the timing instructions on the package. Add about 1/2 cup of the pasta water to the pan with the chard and peppers. Stir in the goat cheese. Drain the pasta, transfer to the pan and toss with the chard, pepper and goat cheese mixture. Serve hot. Serves four.

Chard and Onion Pizza
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 1/4 lbs onions, sliced
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
1 bunch chard, stemmed, leaves washed
1 14-inch pizza crust 
3/4 cup ricotta (6 ounces)
2 oz. Parmesan, grated (1/2 cup, tightly packed)
1 egg yolk

Thirty minutes before baking the pizza, preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet. Add the onions. Cook, stirring often, until tender and just beginning to color, about 10 minutes. Add the thyme, garlic and a generous pinch of salt. Turn the heat to low, cover and cook another 10 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are golden brown and very sweet and soft. Remove from the heat.

While the onions are cooking, stem and wash the chard leaves, steam the chard for two to three minutes until wilted, and rinse with cold water and squeeze out excess water. Chop the chard medium-fine.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, egg yolk, Parmesan and chard. Spread over the pizza dough in an even layer, leaving a 1-inch border around the rim. Spread the onions over the ricotta mixture.

Place in the hot oven, and bake 10 to 15 minutes until the crust and bits of the onion are nicely browned. Remove from the heat, and serve hot or warm.

Potato and Chard Stem Gratin

1 lbs. small boiling potatoes, scrubbed
Salt to taste
Swiss chard stems,  trimmed and cut crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices
1 garlic clove, halved
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs finely chopped shallot or onion (optional)
2 Tbs all-purpose flour
2 cups low-fat milk
Freshly ground pepper
1 tsp thyme leaves
1 oz. Gruyère, grated (1/4 cup)

Place the potatoes in a saucepan, and cover with water. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, and boil gently until tender, 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. Add the chard stalks to the pot, and simmer for another five minutes until crisp-tender. Drain, and retain the cooking liquid if you prefer to use it instead of milk for the béchamel. Cut the potatoes into quarters or halves, depending on their size.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Rub a 2-quart baking dish or gratin with the cut clove of garlic, and brush with olive oil.

Make the béchamel. Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy medium saucepan. Add the shallot or onion, and cook, stirring, until softened, about three minutes. Stir in the flour, and cook, stirring, for about three minutes until smooth and bubbling but not browned. It should have the texture of wet sand. Whisk in the milk all at once, and bring to a simmer, whisking all the while, until the mixture begins to thicken. Turn the heat to very low and simmer, stirring often with a whisk and scraping the bottom and edges of the pan with a rubber spatula, for 10 to 15 minutes until the sauce is thick and has lost its raw flour taste. Season with salt and pepper. Strain while hot into a heatproof bowl or a Pyrex measuring cup.

Cut the potatoes into quarters or halves, depending on their size. Combine with the chard stalks and thyme in a large bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Add the béchamel, and stir until the vegetables are coated with sauce. Scrape into the gratin dish. Sprinkle the Gruyère on top.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes until bubbling and beginning to brown on the top. Serve hot. Serves four.

Chard, Spinach, Rice Gratin
1 bunch Swiss chard, washed and stemmed
1/2 lb spinach, washed
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
3 large eggs
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated gruyère cheese
1 cup cooked basmati brown rice

Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you clean the chard and spinach. Fill a bowl with ice water. Strip the leaves from the chard stalks but hold onto the stalks. Wash the leaves in several rinses of water. When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the chard leaves. Blanch for about two minutes, just until tender. Using a skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer immediately to the ice water. Blanch the spinach for 30 seconds, and transfer to the ice water. Let sit for a few minutes, then drain, squeeze out the water and chop medium-fine.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Brush a 2-quart baking or gratin dish with olive oil.

Trim both ends off the chard stalks, then dice them. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large, heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat, and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Add the diced chard stalks, thyme, rosemary and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, for about five minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the garlic and stir for a minute or so until fragrant. Add the chard and spinach. Stir together for 30 seconds to a minute, just to blend the mixture. Season with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat.

Beat the eggs in a bowl. Stir in the chard mixture, cheese and rice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to the baking dish, and drizzle on the remaining oil.

Bake 40 minutes until firm and brown on the top. Remove from the heat, and cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. You can serve this warm, at room temperature or cold.