Swiss chards

2013-2014

I have not had any success with growing spinach here in southern New Mexico. It’s too cold in the winter for it to grow and in early spring the weather heats up so quickly that it always goes to seed as soon as it starts coming up.

Some varieties of Swiss chard are a lot more bolt resistant. 'Lucullus' is a green variety that I was able to grow in my garden to full maturity in June without it bolting. Like many other leafy vegetables, Swiss chard can be harvested by removing the outer leaves, and this can be repeated over and over again until the plants go to seed. Once the flower stalk forms, the leaves get quite bitter.

Prepare Swiss chard just like you would spinach. The taste is very similar.

INGREDIENTS

This is what you need:

chards seeds or transplants
water

Pic1: Swiss chards
2014-08-28

Directions

Plant or sow fairly close together.
Thin to the recommended distance of 4-5" when the plants start crowding each other.
Water regularly. Stressing the plant with dry conditions will make it bitter and may force it to bolt prematurely.
Harvest a few bottom leaves at a time to be able to harvest all season long.

Pic2: 2014-06-29
Pic3: 2014-09-11
Pic4: 2014-10-26

creamed chards

2014-06-29 a.o.

Another spinach substitute that manages to grow and even thrive throughout the summer heat without bolting. Even creamed it sill looks like cow-pie, but a nicer one than poison-green creamed spinach.

INGREDIENTS

This is what you need for # servings:

2 lbs. Swiss chard leaves S&P optional: heavy cream or half and half

Pic1: creamed chards
2014-06-29

Directions

Pic6: garden-fresh chards — 2015-04-14
Pic7: creamed chards — 2015-04-14
Pic5: served — 2014-06-29

Wash the leaves.
Remove the tough stems and cut away any pieces that look wilted or damaged.
If you like to see leaves in the finished product, cut the leaves coarsely, do not blend.
Steam or sauté the leaves for a few minutes until they wilt and lose their shape.
Just like spinach, the volume will get a lot smaller.
Drain the liquid.
Push down on the leaves to remove as much liquid as possible.
To cream, transfer the leaves to a food processor and pulse a few times to pulp the leaves.
Add S&P to taste. Optionally stir in some cream.
Serve immediately.

See also: Deming, NM gardens, animals and more and avemariasongs.org

See also: Deming, NM gardens, animals and more
and avemariasongs.org