I cannot imagine gardening without Swiss chard. What a tough, good-tempered plant it is, and so handsome grown in a container. It is so productive that sometimes the challenge is to keep coming up with fresh ideas for how to use it. This recipe makes a fantastic accompaniment – try it with roast lamb or chicken. My friend Susan Dyer likes to make a simple side dish by cutting Swiss chard into 10cm long pieces, tossing with olive oil, salt and pepper then roasting in a hot oven until tender.
Ingredients
- Swiss chard 2 large bunches (about 500g), washed (use both the stalks/stems and leaves)
- Flaked almonds 40g
- Butter 2tbsp
- Spring onions 2, trimmed and chopped
- Full-fat cream cheese 100g
- Freshly grated nutmeg pinch
- Salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1
Separate the Swiss chard stalks from the leaves. Thinly slice the stalks across (these take a bit longer to cook) then bunch up the leaves and slice them across into 2.5cm strips.
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Step 2
Toast the almonds in a dry frying pan for 5 minutes, moving them around in the pan to stop them catching and burning. Remove from the heat and reserve 2tbsp of the toasted almonds for garnish.
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Step 3
Return the pan to the heat, add the butter, then the spring onions and Swiss chard stalks, cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring all the time. Once soft, add the Swiss chard leaves, season with salt and pepper, cover and cook for about 5 minutes until the leaves have wilted and the stalks are tender.
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Step 4
Add the cream cheese to the pan and stir over low heat until it has melted and coated the chard. Season to taste with the nutmeg, salt and pepper.
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Step 5
To serve, transfer to a warmed serving dish and garnish with the reserved toasted almonds.
This recipe is taken from Grow Fruit & Vegetables in Pots by Aaron Bertelsen (Phaidon, £29.95).
Authors
Having studied at Kew Gardens and spent two years at Jerusalem Botanical Gardens in Israel, Aaron Bertelsen is now vegetable gardener and cook at Great Dixter. His book, The Great Dixter Cookbook was published in March 2017.