Lovely Chard

Various chards I harvested and washed. The ones with the wide stems and pink streaks are likely a cross between some red chard and some Glatter Silber chard. Chard will cross readily with other chard. I generally cut the thick stems out and cook them separately from the leaves. They can be blanched in water with a little lemon added, and served on their own. Sometimes I chop and sauté them with onions to add to soups. The leaves are delicious steamed or sautéed with a little garlic and olive oil, or with a little bacon, wine vinegar and red pepper flakes. Chard is very versatile and its mild flavor makes it very pleasant to eat frequently. It is also extremely easy to grow, and if let to go to seed (in its second year, it being a biennial) many delightful variations can occur. When it starts to send up a flower stalk, it can be cut and used as mulch too, which is handy when transplanting seedlings that might like a little mulch.