Has it ever happened to you that two things enter your life at the same time, and forever after it’s nearly impossible to think of one without also thinking of the other? It happened to me about twelve years ago. It happened to me with Swiss chard, and my wife. I can’t cook Swiss chard without also thinking of my wife, Jill. And I can’t look at my wife, Jill, without also thinking of Swiss chard. Well, that latter part isn’t true. But I promise the former is.
The association was formed during our first Fall together. She was the junior farmer on a CSA just outside of Baltimore City. I was manning the grill at a nearby golf club, and experiencing the first tremors of dissent toward my own eating habits. I figured volunteering on a farm was a win-win. Some small farm would gain a free pair of hands. And I would learn how to grow stuff.
That first autumn I discovered Swiss Chard. I had worked in numerous establishments, some of them very reputable, and never came across this incredible green. From what I’ve learned over the years, chard is pretty easy to grow and can be eaten in numerous different ways. We ate lots of it that first year. That’s one of the bonuses of working on a farm. All of the available produce. But things get pretty slim on a farm in October if you don’t have hoop-houses. Her farm didn’t. So that meant we ate plenty of Swiss chard.
Swiss chard is a great thing to grow in early spring and late summer because it can handle a little (that’s a very little) frost. It might get a little droopy, but it’ll cook up just fine. We steamed it, and piled it on top of many fried eggs. We sautéed it with garlic and olive oil. We coated it with béchamel and baked it with parmesan. In short, we gained an idea of the full breadth of things one can do with Swiss Chard. Andrew Dornenburg recommends pairing chard with lemon, hot peppers, and saffron. But I would include: eggs, aged cheeses(such as parmesan) and soft cheeses (such as ricotta), citrus, nutmeg, and pecans. Of course, the list can go on from there. I’ve enjoyed some really delicious breakfast tacos that included Swiss chard.
Currently Wolff’s is carrying beautiful Organic Swiss Chard grown in Quarryville, PA by farmer Rebecca King.
Whether you’re sentimental when it comes to the things you eat, or not, Swiss chard is really good this time of year. So why not forge a new association with the world, and cook some up. If you need help, I recommend this warm salad with oranges, shallots, and candied pecans.
Start with the candied pecans.
Candied Pecans
Ingredients:
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 lb. pecans
Method:
1. Bring water, sugar and cinnamon to a boil, stirring constantly.
2. Add pecans and toss to coat.
3. Remove pecans with slotted spoon.
4. Arrange on greased baking pan.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, basting twice with reserved syrup.
6. Cool.
7. Store airtight.
Chard with Oranges, Shallots, and Candied Pecans
Ingredients:
1 pound white, red, or rainbow chard, washed and trimmed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots
2 tablespoons sugar
1 small unpeeled orange or tangerine, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup candied pecans
Method:
1. Cut the stems out of the chard leaves.
Cut leaves into wide ribbons
and slice the stems (on the diagonal if you like);
keep the leaves and stems separate.
2. Put the oil in a large skillet with a lid over medium heat. When hot, add the shallots and sugar and cook for a minute, then stir in the orange or tangerine bits and lower the heat to low.
Cook, stirring frequently, until everything is caramelized, about 10 minutes. Stir in the vinegar.
3. Return the heat to medium and stir in the chard stems.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften a bit, just a minute or two.
Add the chard ribbons,
cover, and turn off the heat. Let the chard steam for 2 or 3 minutes, then stir and re-cover the pan for another couple of minutes.
4. Sprinkle with salt, lots of pepper, the candied pecans,
and serve immediately.
Chard with Oranges, Shallots, and Candied Pecans
A colorful, warm salad with a tangy sweet-sour flavor
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Appetiser, Side
Ingredients
- 1 pound white, red, or rainbow chard, washed and trimmed
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 shallots
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 small unpeeled orange or tangerine, seeded and coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup Candied Pecans
Instructions
- Cut the stems out of the chard leaves. Cut leaves into wide ribbons and slice the stems (on the diagonal if you like); keep the leaves and stems separate.
- Put the oil in a large skillet with a lid over medium heat. When hot, add the shallots and sugar and cook for a minute, then stir in the orange or tangerine bits and lower the heat to low. Cook, stirring frequently, until everything is caramelized, about 10 minutes. Stir in the vinegar.
- Return the heat to medium and stir in the chard stems. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften a bit, just a minute or two. Add the chard ribbons, cover, and turn off the heat. Let the chard steam for 2 or 3 minutes, then stir and re-cover the pan for another couple of minutes. Sprinkle with salt, lots of pepper, the candied pecans, and serve immediately.