Chard is called by many names. Some know it as Swiss chard while others call it Spinach Beet or Perpetual Spinach. I call it Popeye's alternative! If you like Spinach, you'll love chard. Swiss chard, along with kale, mustard greens and collard greens, is one of several leafy green vegetables often referred to as "greens". I grew up hearing that expression, “You must eat your greens!” As a child I didn’t care much for endive but I liked the taste of chard.
It is a tall leafy green vegetable with a thick, crunchy stalk that comes in a variety of colors such as white, red or yellow with wide fan-like green leaves. Chard belongs to the same family as beets and spinach and shares a similar taste: it has a similar taste to beet greens and the slightly salty flavor of spinach leaves. Both the leaves and stalk of chard are edible, although the stems vary in texture with the white ones being the most tender.
I found that if you give the chard plants lots of water, the chard will not taste bitter at all! Sometimes, in the market, different colored varieties will be bunched together and labeled "rainbow chard." In my garden I planted a mixture of seeds and much to my surprise, up came pink, red and yellow chard!
The history of chard is pretty simple and straightforward. You’ll find that Swiss chard isn't native to Switzerland, but the Swiss botanist Koch determined the scientific name of the plant in the 19th century. So its name has honored Switzerland.
The actual homeland of chard lies further south, in the Mediterranean region. The Greek philosopher, Aristotle wrote about chard in the fourth century B.C. and the ancient Greeks, and later the Romans, honored chard for its medicinal properties. I do know that chard is very popular among Mediterranean cooks.
Fresh young chard can be used raw in salads. Mature chard leaves and stalks are usually steamed or sauteed; having a refined flavor which is more delicate than that of cooked spinach.
Although Swiss chard is available throughout the year, its season runs from June through August when it is at its best and in the greatest abundance at your local supermarket. Here in California we start growing chard in the middle of March whether you use seeds or starter plants.
Here are a few quick serving ideas:
Wrap Swiss chard leaves around your favorite vegetable and grain salad and roll into a neat little package. Bake in a medium-heat oven and enjoy this alternative to stuffed cabbage.
Toss penne pasta with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and cooked Swiss chard.
Add zest to an omelet and a frittata by adding some steamed Swiss chard.
Use chard in place of or in addition to spinach when preparing vegetarian lasagna. Most recipes use about 2 cups of chard, rinsed, stemmed and chopped.
The following instructions are for preparing the chard in two batches because it is quite bulky until it cooks down. If you have a very large wok or skillet, you might be able to fit it all into one pan.
1 1/2 lbs. Swiss chard (ruby or green)
2 to 3 Tbs. olive oil
6 medium cloves of garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbs. Balsamic or red wine vinegar (optional)
Coarsely chop the chard, heat the wok with 1 Tbl. Olive oil and stir-fry for several minutes. Serve at room temperature.
I usually steam chard and just add a tab of butter. I have stir-fried chard and added it to whole-wheat spaghetti with a little bit of feta cheese.
I am very impressed with the list of health promoting nutrients found in Swiss chard.
• Health Benefits-Chard is an excellent source of:
• Vitamin K
• Vitamin A - its concentrated beta-carotene content
• Magnesium
• Vitamin C for antioxidant protection and Immune Support.
• Potassium - maintaining normal blood pressure
• Iron
• Vitamin E
• Manganese
• Vitamin B2 and Vitamin B6
• Vitamin E and dietary fiber
And so much more!
Tips on When to Plant Chard:
Chard should be directly seeded into the garden in early spring to mid-spring. Plant Swiss chard as soon as the soil can be worked. It will sprout fairly early, and will not be harmed by spring frosts. One planting will last the entire year.
For an even earlier crop, you might want to start a few seedlings indoors. Transplant them outdoors when the night temperatures go down to a minimum of 28 - 30 degrees. Even if you plant a little too early, they can be covered up during unusually cold weather. Seedling chard always tastes better and sweeter than starter plants but both are very good, really.
Outdoors, sow seeds 1/2 to 1 inch apart, in rows three feet apart. Thin the chard seedlings to two to three inches apart. Swiss chard is quite tolerant to crowding but you will want to thin them as soon as possible. Some gardeners plant seeds 1/2 to 3/4 inches deep (8 to 10 seeds per foot of row) Thin seedlings to 4 to 6 inches apart. An alternative method is to thin the seedlings to 2 to 3 inches apart; then, when they are large enough for greens (6 to 8 inches tall), harvest the excess plants whole, leaving a final spacing of 9 to 12 inches between plants.
Swiss Chard can be picked as soon as the leaves are large enough to harvest, usually in four to six weeks.
I recommended these varieties.
Burgundy
Ruby
Geneva
Perpetual
Rainbow
Large White Broad-Ribbed
Red, White or Yellow Midrib (mixed)
Chard can be harvested while the leaves are young and tender or after maturity when they are larger and have slightly tougher stems. One of my favorite varieties is Five Color Silverbeet. The flavor of this Swiss chard is not different from the green variety, but the gorgeous color range of red, pink, yellow, orange and cream is beautiful. Chard is a wonderful vegetable to grow in your garden that keeps on producing its leaves for you abundantly and a great alternative for Popeye, too!
I have been gardening for 37 years. I enjoy eating from the abundance of the land and sharing good, healthy fruits and vegetables with family and friends.
