Wednesday Food Blogging: Swiss Chard and White Beans Over Penne

Chard: The New Spinach.

This one's so easy I hate to bother posting a recipe. I mean, you could do this one in your sleep.

But with spinach off the menu for my U.S. readers, I think it's time for some opportunistic chard blogging. Chard is upscale spinach, greens you can serve your city slicker friends who'd turn up their noses at collards or mustard greens. It's also multicultural, coming in all colors of the rainbow as well as plain old Swiss.

I picked up a bunch of mixed chard at the opening of the farmer's market in my village the other day. It kept in the fridge for several days, since I'd also bought other veggies that had more pressing needs.

And unlike spinach, a little goes a long way. Six leaves of chard made plenty for my small family.

Try that with spinach!

It takes a bit longer than spinach to cook, but not as long as other greens. This is a dish that can be on the table in 30 minutes flat. Serve it with a loaf of Italian ciabatta bread, some wine, and pretend you went to a lot of trouble.

Swiss Chard with White Beans and Penne

2 shallots, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
6 or 7 leaves of chard
1 can white beans (navy, northern, etc.), rinsed
salt and pepper to taste
cooked penne pasta

First, wash and trim the chard. Roll the leaves into a cigar-shape and slice every 1 inch. Make another cut lengthwise to shorten the strands. Set aside.

In a large skillet, saute the shallots and garlic in about half the olive oil. When the shallots begin to soften, add the chard. Saute the chard while it cooks down a bit, then add the beans, and if desired, the rest of the olive oil and the salt and pepper. Simmer over low heat until warmed through.

Serve over pasta.

Note: To make this dish healthier, serve with brown rice instead of pasta. If you're watching your fat intake, lower the amount of olive oil, or saute in a quarter cup of vegetable broth.

Comments

[Imperatrix]

Mmm. And remember, chard stems are edible, too. You can add them to your dish for a bit of crunch (less than celery, but hey).

[KathyF]

Thanks for the advice! I was thinking about using them to dye something. They're so purty!

[SusanV]

Oh yum! I love beans and greens. :-)

[foodie]

Currently chard in all colors is swooped down upon the moment the Farmers Markets open here in NM--love it, but still adore spinach. And have rarely eaten spinach raw anyway--it makes my teeth feel weird....

[Diane]

Oh, how I like Swiss chard. But then, I like all the greens. I also like white beans, and am particularly fond of making white bean "pate." Yum.

[Geraldine]

I love Swiss Chard and a lot more than spinach! Best part, how you can keep picking batch after batch from the garden, until the end of the season. No way, with spinach.

[KathyF]

Geraldine, I've never tried to grow either. I wish I had a green thumb in the garden, but I can barely get herbs to grow.

[Janice]

I am growing chard for the first time - very easy. I will never attempt spinach again because it always goes to seed immediately and leaves you unused garden.