By Sidonie Maroon, The Food Co-op Culinary Educator, abluedotkitchen.com

Follow Sidonie on The Food Co-op’s Facebook group Cooking with the Co-op

Recipes Include

Cheesy Chard
New York Style Pizza
Sidonie Style Pizza Sauce
Swiss Chard with Walnut Crust

Swiss chard isn’t Swiss at all but a native of Sicily! It’s related to the beet, and in the Amaranth family. In France, the stems are coveted while they feed the greens to the chickens, while here we have the opposite problem. I’d like to announce that both the stems and leaves are delicious.

It wasn’t until I grew the heirloom “Italian Silver Rib”, a favorite with wide, crisp silvery-white midribs and crinkled shiny leaves that I recognized chard as a prized ingredient.

The rainbow varieties are also beautiful, and I love to dice their stems into confetti.

Chard

Chopping Technique

Best when you want the chard to play a secondary role in a soup, casserole or pie.

1. Wash the leaves and stems and shake dry.

2. Gather the bunch together and chop off the stems where they meet the leaves. Slice the stems into long thin pieces, like you would to dice celery. Now, gather the thin logs together and dice them into small squares.

3. Stack the leaves on top of each other and roll into a long, tight bundle. Hold the bundle together as you slice thin ribbons crosswise.

4. Go back and chop across the ribbons until the chard is in small pieces.

How to Cook Chard

Saute: Preheat your pan with oil. Start by sauteing the stems, and cook for 5 minutes before adding the leaves. Cover the pan with a lid and allow the leaves to steam and reduce before taking the lid off. Chard is better fully cooked. I like to use this method to make skillet eggs. First saute the chard, then add eggs and 1⁄4 cup broth. Turn the heat to medium and allow the eggs to poach with the chard for about 6 minutes.

Blanch: Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add salt and chard. Allow the pot to return to a boil and time for 3 minutes. Drain and press dry. This is a great way to make a cold chard salad or blanch whole leaves for wrapping. Use this method to reduce chard for pies or quiche.

Stew: Add finely chopped chard to your soup or stew pot. I like to dice the stems, and Chiffonade the leaves, so they’ll melt into the background.

Roast: Chard stems are delicious roasted. Try them with olive oil and salt at 425 f for 30 to 45 minutes.

Parchment wrapped: Rub your chopped chard with olive oil, garlic and salt. Wrap it in parchment paper and tuck it in the oven beside a roasting chicken and baked potato.

Pressure Cook: If you’re braising meat in the Instant Pot, try pressure cooking chard in the braising liquid after you’ve taken the roast out. It’s so delicious! Try 4 minutes at high pressure with an instant release.

Chard Pairings

Parmesan, anchovies, garlic, olive oil, raisins

Bacon, gruyere cheese, eggs, black pepper

White beans, leeks, orange zest, bay leaves, fresh thyme, lemon, bread crumbs

Black-eyed peas, garlic, olive oil, fresh dill, tomatoes

Coconut milk, lentils, ginger, garlic, turmeric, cinnamon, lime

Chickpeas, onions, chilies, garlic, olives, feta, marjoram,

Potatoes, garlic, olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, chili flakes, vinegar

Mushrooms, chicken, cream, Jack cheese, pasta

Butter, sweet potatoes, thyme, orange zest, garlic

Balsamic vinegar, raisins, almonds, anchovies

Cheesy Chard

Serves 4 as a side

Melty, cheesy, garlicky and delicious, I bake this cheesy chard in parchment. It’s perfect to tuck in the oven beside baked potatoes or chicken.

Ingredients

1 bunch chard

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons olive oil

¼ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon anchovy fish sauce, or anchovy paste

½ cup grated parmesan

¼ cup raisins

1 small lemon, sliced

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Layout a large sheet of parchment paper, about 18x18 inches, on a baking sheet.

2. Wash the chard and pat dry. Cut off the stems, slice them into long thin pieces, and cut the pieces into a small dice. Roll the leaves together lengthwise into a tight log. Thinly slice the log into ribbons, holding it tight with your free hand. Chop across the ribbons into smaller pieces (Chiffonade).

3. Pile the chard onto the parchment paper. Toss and rub the other ingredients into it. Fold the ends of the paper in and the sides together into a packet. Turn it folded side down onto the baking sheet and put whatever else you are roasting on the tray.

4. Bake for 50 minutes at 425 f.

5. Serve with lemon at the table.

New York Style

Pizza Dough

Nouveau Breads

Read more on Nouveau Breads here

Use for this crust pizza, calzones, chard pies and more!

Ingredients

Flour

⅓ cup pre-washed dry quinoa

½ cup raw chickpeas

⅓ cup raw buckwheat groats

¼ cup tapioca starch

¼ cup flaxseed

1 tablespoon psyllium seed husk powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon black peppercorns

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon garlic granules

2 tablespoons dehydrated onion flakes

Add

1 ¼ teaspoon instant baker’s yeast

Wet

1 ½ cups water, at 120F

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Directions

Make the dough

1. Using a high-speed blender (Vitamix), on the highest speed for 1 minute, grind flour ingredients and sift. Grind the fines again and add to the flour. Stir in the yeast. Add the wet ingredients and boldly stir until thickened.

2. Allow the dough to sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Use or refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Form and bake the pizza

1. Preheat a baking stone at 450F for 30 minutes.

2. Roll out 1 cup of dough pressed into a disk, for a 12-inch pizza, between two oiled round sheets of parchment paper. The dough should be thin.

3. Peel off the top paper.

4. Use ¼ cup sauce, a handful of mozzarella cheese, a handful of parmesan. If you use other toppings, go lightly. Less is more.

5. Slide the pizza, still on the paper, onto the baking stone. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are crisp, and the underside golden. Do not over bake.

6. Allow the pie to cool for a couple of minutes before slicing. Enjoy!

Sidonie Style

Pizza Sauce

Makes 2 cups

Excellent all purpose and well-balanced pizza sauce.

Ingredients

1 can, 15 ounces, tomato sauce

1 can, 6 ounces, tomato paste

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons dehydrated onion flakes

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons, anchovy based fish sauce (red boat brand)

1 tablespoon runny honey

Directions

1. Add ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.

2. Store in the fridge and use within 2 weeks. You can also freeze this sauce.

Chard filling for pies

Makes enough for a 9-inch pie

Use as a filling for one large or many small hand pies.

Ingredients

4 cups packed chopped chard including stems

1 cup packed mixed herbs finely chopped I used wild fennel fresh thyme and parsley

14 oz firm tofu crumbled

1 cup sheep feta crumbled

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup chopped scallions

2 cloves garlic minced

3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. Steam or blanch chopped chard I use the instant pot high pressure for 3 minutes with an instant release press the moisture out of the chard with a towel

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine everything together.

Savory Pie Spice

Grind together and store in a cool dry place in a sealed container. Use 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons per 9-inch pie or tray of roasted veggies. Use in savory pies and with roasted veggies.

1 tablespoon dried ginger root

½ stick cinnamon, crumbled

2 teaspoons coriander seed

¼ teaspoon black peppercorns

2 star anise, or 2 teaspoons whole

3 tablespoons dehydrated onion flakes

2 teaspoons garlic powder

¼ teaspoon red chili flakes

Swiss Chard Pie

with Walnut Crust

Serves 4

Think delicious spanakopita but with different flavors. The walnut crust should take away all of your dough fears. It’s so easy and gluten-free and packed with heart healthy nuts and seeds. The tofu makes a fluffy filling. If you can find the smoked honey, it adds a touch, but don’t worry, regular honey is fine.

Ingredients

For Chard

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 cups chard, chopped

1 cup crumbled firm tofu, packed (½ block)

1 tablespoon fresh marjoram minced (or 2 teaspoons dried)

1 cup grated extra sharp cheddar (or vegan cheese equivalent)

Sauce

1 tablespoon raw honey (I used a smoked madrona honey)

1 teaspoon Red Boat fish sauce (Vegan 1teaspoon dried mushroom powder)

2 teaspoons dijon mustard

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ cup dehydrated onion flakes

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

Pastry

1 cup walnuts

½ cup sunflower seeds

¼ cup flax meal

2 tablespoons psyllium seed husk powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

½ cup boiling water

Directions

Walnut Pastry Dough

Add all the dry ingredients to a high-speed blender, Vitamix and blend on high speed until the motor slows. Dump mixture into a work bowl and add the vinegar to the boiling water. Add the liquid to the dry mixture and stir. Don’t be concerned if it seems too wet, keep mixing until it firms up. Split into two balls and let the dough rest until you’re ready to form the pie.

Saute

In a heavy-bottomed skillet, saute the chard in olive oil over a medium heat until soft, about 7 minutes. Add the crumbled tofu and marjoram. You will add the saute to the food processor after the sauce is made.

Sauce

Add all the sauce ingredients to a food processor and process until smooth. Add the Swiss chard saute and cheese and pulse until fine and combined.

Forming and Baking the Pie

Preheat the oven to 375 F, using a middle rack.

On a piece of parchment paper, roll out ½ of the dough to a 9 inch round. I use a bowl rim about that size and cut around it to make a perfect circle.

On another piece of parchment, repeat the process with the other dough half. Patch with scraps as needed.

Set the pie’s bottom dough, with parchment cut around it, on a baking sheet. Mound the filling onto the bottom, leaving a 1 ½ inch rim around the edge. Use your hands to shape the mound.

Lay the pastry top over the mounded filling and gently press it into place. Fold the bottom edge over to meet the top and press together. Decorate the top with the scraps.

Bake for 25-30 minutes. Mine baked for 27 minutes. Let the pie cool to room temp before serving. The flavors come out more after it’s had time to cool.