Chard, how I love thee

It’s September and our chard crop is rocking. It seems to be the one crop that hasn’t been too badly impacted by the weather, nor eaten by the critters (i.e. groundhogs). We have a few customers that love it and order it regularly, but the market goers don’t seem to favor it as much. Consequently, I often go home with a bunch or two. Thank goodness we like it! One week we ate chard nearly every day…in salads, sauteed, with pasta, with eggs, with sausage…the options are seemingly endless. And, now, since it is so prolific, we have started to freeze it for future use. This is a pretty easy process that is outlined below.

Chard with a few holes - didn't pass quality control for selling, but great for freezing!
Cut the stalks out and chop it up
Place in a steamer or in boiling water for a couple of minutes
Place blanched chard in ice bath for a couple minutes, then drain in salad spinner before putting in freezer bags.

We have only put up a few bags so far since it takes quite a bit to get what looks like it might make a meal or a side. This process is super easy…enjoy!

0 thoughts on “Chard, how I love thee

  1. Bickle sisiter says:

    I think you should try to expand the northern palette by growing okra. It is so good fried, in jambalaya, and my new personal favorite, grilled! If you set a bbq at your farmer’s mkt and gave away grilled samples, you might have a stampede. Plus I bet no one else has it? Market niche.

    Diane

    • Annabel says:

      Yeah….I don’t think I’ve ever had great okra…need someone from down South to prepare it for us and show us how to make it (and how to grow it)! Hope you are getting dried out down there after all the rain.

      • d says:

        I think it’s almost like a weed down here but not sure of it’s climate limitations. I think it’s been an issue of “taste?” But you didn’t like collards so much either?
        12″ of rain after a one month drought. Havoc on the garden.

        • Annabel says:

          I just don’t think we know how to cook them. Hope you get dried out soon…that’s a lot of rain and not so good for farmers! We have had a couple of 4″ storms that left our clay soil-heavy plot underwater.