swiss_chard

Sauteed Swiss Chard

March 28, 2012

Swiss Chard is a powerful looking green. The leaves are huge and sturdy and the rainbow variety is particularly stunning. Whenever I pick chard up at the store, I think, I’m really giving my body something to work with here.

And as with most leafy greens, chard is packed with nutrients. It’s a great source of vitamins A, C, K, E, and B6, full of fiber and minerals such as Calcium, Iron and Potassium. It has a mild flavor similar to spinach. This recipe for sauteed swiss chard is a good introduction to cooking this green for the first time.

Eater’s Note: Like spinach and beet greens, swiss chard is high in something called oxalic acid which can deplete calcium from your body. It’s not a reason not to eat them, but best in moderation. Cooking swiss chard in something rich, like butter and oil can balance out the oxalic acid effect. I know, such a hardship…

Sauteed Swiss Chard
 
Ingredients
  • 1 bunch swiss chard
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • dash of course sea salt
  • juice from ¼ lemon
Instructions
  1. Wash leaves, trim bottom stems, and cut leaves into ½ inch strips. An easy way to do this is to stack the leaves on top of one another and then roll them up into a long tube. Cut your way down the tub chopping every ½ inch.
  2. Heat butter and oil together in a large skillet over medium heat.
  3. Add the chard and toss in oil and butter. (Your pan might be overflowing, but it will cook down quickly).
  4. Add sprinkle of course sea salt.
  5. Sautee 5-7 min tossing frequently until leaves are wilted and tender.
  6. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice.