Chard and Pak Choi recipes?

[lovelygreenleaves]

I get a lot of chard and pak choi in my veg box and I really don't like it! Unfortunately I've already asked them to change a few other things so until I grow all my own veg I'm stuck with it! They're ok in a stir fry, but there's only so much stir fry I can eat! Has anyone got any recipe ideas?

[wulf]

Just steamed as a side dish can work well. Also, try shredded finely and added to a stew. For the stems (particularly if you've got interesting coloured chard), how about a thin tempura batter?

Wulf

[Green Aura]

We took this to a pot luck supper the other night. It was not only delicious, it seemed to go well with everything else on the table too.

Swiss chard with creamy cashew sauce
Swiss chard, leaves stripped and shredded and stalk chopped
3tbsp olive oil
4-5tbsp wholewheat flour
1-2cups hot water
2 tbsp cashew butter
1-2tbsp soy sauce
black pepper, to taste

Steam the stalks for a few minutes longer than the leaves, so they're cooked, to taste, at the same time.

Heat the olive oil and add flour, stirring to make a roux. Cook for a few minutes over low heat to toast the flour and give a nuttier flavor to the sauce.

Gradually add enough hot water, whisking constantly to give a thick, creamy sauce.

Stir in the cashew butter, tamari, and pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly, pour over the steamed vegetables, and serve immediately.

[Carltonian Man]

We use blanched chard leaves instead of vine leaves for wrapping round savoury rice to make dolmades. Also, like Wulf, have the leaves steamed. In both dishes we add a sprinkling of nutmeg over the top. The stalks can be steamed or boiled and benefit no end from a knob of butter melted over and a sprinkling of coarse sea salt and coarse ground black pepper. (nutmeg doesn't go well with the stalks). The stalks also seem to be better if not overcooked.

If you don't fancy these you could try blanching the leaves (stalks already cut out) then gently fry them in butter and sea salt adding chopped garlic and sesame seeds near the end (the garlic wants to still have a bit of crunch). Just before serving add small cubes of soft goats cheese and once on the plate sprinkle lightly with nutmeg.

Hope you enjoy

Martin

[lovelygreenleaves]

Ooh these all sound yummy - I really hope they are though, I'm not keen on the stuff!

[Green Aura]

Me neither and a few weeks ago it was the only thing sufficiently well grown to harvest.

Hence having to find a recipe that masked the flavour.

I quite like the leaves, but the stem is . Mud meets aniseed.

I didn't mention it before, because I didn't want to put you off

[wulf]

You can always chop most of the stem out (especially on larger leaves). It doesn't have to be wasted if you have a compost heap (or animals to help in the process).

Wulf

[Millymollymandy]

I don't like it either - chard that is. If you have the space it's worth growing 'bright lights' (or whatever it is called) just for decorative reasons and it doesn't seem to need much looking after. However, after eating it a few times I decided not to bother again! I grown spinach beet which is pretty similar but these days it's just for the chooks!

Lovelygreenleaves - if you receive so much stuff that you don't really like in your veg box isn't there an alternative - like just going out and buying what you do like?