Chard - as edible as it is colorful?! (lasagne, tomatoes, soups)

[aneye4detail]

I keep seeing chard in the stores, and it is so beautiful! But I've never eaten it and am wondering if it would be good in salad?

Does anyone here eat it or know which of the many beautiful ones I should choose to eat??

[eureka1]

It tastes fine-something like romaine. The "red" kind pops up in our yard.

[Threestep2]

I use the leaves like fresh spinach. If you grow it, pick the outer stems and it will produce from early spring into summer.
Use the stems like white asparagus for salad.

[JustJulia]

I think it's strongly flavored. I'll sliver it up and mix with lettuces for a salad, or wilt it a bit in a hot oiled pan. It's good chopped up and cooked in a bean soup, with ham if you like it.

[TabulaRasa]

Chard's great, but if you aren't a fan of strong-tasting greens, your mileage may vary.

I personally prefer it cooked, to salad form. Wilted greens, and the stems are nice braised in broth.

[IslandCityGirl]

Chard is really multi-useful. It's a heartier green, so can be used like mustard greens, collards, or kale (great in soups, sautéed, in quiches, lasagnes, etc.), and can be used fresh like spinach when it's younger (more tender) as well. Baby rainbow chard makes beautiful green salads. I also like to use it in warm pasta salads. Start with a bed of baby rainbow chard (or chard and spinach, etc., etc.), top with bits of goat cheese, then hot pasta straight from the pot (shells, penne, orrecchiette, rotini, etc., not linguine, spaghetti, etc. obviously) with a few extra spoonfuls of starchy pasta water (this stuff is waaaay under-used). Top with some parmesan, maybe a touch of balsamic vinaigrette (optional) and whatever else you like in your salad (tomatoes, olives, chicken, bacon, almonds...). The goat cheese will melt with the pasta water and viniagrette to become a wonderful dressing and the chard will wilt just ever so slightly. It's fabulous.

[LoriBee62]

I've never eaten it raw. I chop leaves and stems, sauté in olive oil, garlic, pine nuts, salt & pepper. It's one of our favorite side dishes. Note that when prepared this way, one bunch--piled high at first in the sauté pan--will end up as a very small amount when fully wilted. Shrinkage is significant with this one!

[aneye4detail]

Originally Posted by Threestep

I use the leaves like fresh spinach. If you grow it, pick the outer stems and it will produce from early spring into summer.
Use the stems like white asparagus for salad.

Um, what is white asparagus?

[LoriBee62]

Originally Posted by aneye4detail

Um, what is white asparagus?

Asparagus that is kept covered as it grows comes out white. You don't find it in most chain grocery stores, but stores with gourmet produce sell it.

[aneye4detail]

I think I will try it in small doses in my salad with spinach and arugula. But that pasta salad thing sounds pretty awesome.