In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleHow to Choose the Best ChardHow to Prep ChardCan You Eat Chard Raw?How to Cook ChardHow to Cook Chard LeavesHow to Cook Chard StemsHow to Sauté Chard
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
How to Choose the Best Chard
How to Prep Chard
Can You Eat Chard Raw?
How to Cook Chard
How to Cook Chard Leaves
How to Cook Chard Stems
How to Sauté Chard
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Photo: Getty Images / Claudia Totir
You may find colorful bundles of chard at your local grocery stores year-round, but this leafy green with vibrantly colored stalks is most abundant in the spring and summer months (and that’s also when it’s at its lowest price). In addition to being widely available, chard is also relatively inexpensive at about $3 to $5 a bundle, depending on the season and where you live. If you’re hungry for options beyond spinach and kale, load up on some chard! Read on to find out how to effortlessly choose, prepare and cook chard.
What Is Chard
Chard is sold in bundles. Look for firm stems and bright and glossy leaves free of blemishes, yellow or brown spots. Chard leaves can be crinkly, but withered leaves are a sign of aging and should be avoided.
To keep chard fresh, it should bestored much like spinach. Fresh chard can last about one week after purchase. You can place it in an open bag or loosely wrap it with a cloth, paper towels or plastic wrap, and store it in the refrigerator. For best results, place the whole bundle in the crisper drawer, where temperature and humidity are more suitable for keeping greens fresh.
To extend the greens' shelf life, you can separate the leaves and the stems. Wrap the leaves with paper towels and place them in a plastic bag before refrigerating. For the stems, just wrap them and refrigerate.
Keeping chard fresh also requires keeping it dry. Wash chard only when ready to prep it for eating. Washing in advance increases wilting. If the chard leaves become damp, use a paper towel to dry the leaves.
Whether you eat chard raw or cooked, wash it under cold water to remove any dirt, debris or insects hiding in there.
Cooking diminishes the vibrant stem colors and wilts the leaves, shrinking them in size, making them less earthy, and bringing out a pleasantly mild bitter flavor similar to beets. Surprisingly or not, beets and chard belong to the same plant family, except chard is a beet without an edible root.
Since chard stems are rather tough, they require a few extra minutes to cook and become tender. Many people cook the sliced stalks and the leaves separately, but if you decide to put both leaves and stems in the same dish, it is best to cook the stems first and add the leaves a few minutes later.
Chard pairs well with an array of ingredients, such as garlic, shallots,walnutsand olives. If you love cheese, consider pairing chard with goat cheese and ricotta.
Looking for side dish ideas other than kale and spinach? Chard blends well with pasta and mixed-entree dishes.
While both young and mature chard leaves are suitable for cooking, large leaves and mature leaves are firm and best suited for moist cooking methods, such as insoups, stews and braised dishes. They are also ideal for dry cooking methods such as stir-frying.
You can cook chard stems the same ways as you cookasparagus: steaming, sautéing, grilling or roasting. You can also add chard stems to stir-fries.
Sautéed chard also makes a delicious side dish that will brighten up your dining table. Chard pairs well with a range of ingredients, such as red chile and garlic. If you decide to use the stems too, place the stems in the heated skillet with cooking oil first, allowing more cooking time to let them get tender before adding the leaves.
The Bottom Line
Like other leafy greens, chard is a versatile vegetable that makes a perfect salad, side dish or an ingredient in a mixed dish. It is an ideal substitution for kale and spinach, perfect for adding to your rotating roster of vegetables. Whether you already love chard or want to give chard a try, our collection ofhealthy chard recipeswill inspire you to use chard in your meals.
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