Once upon a time there was no Bibliocook. Then, in 2004/5, I took a year out of my job with the RTÉ entertainment website to live in New Zealand with the Kiwi Boyfriend, now the Husband.Excited by the amazing food on offer and itching to write about it, I started Bibliocook in early 2005 (with help from Súil Design). From the blog I have have gotten freelance work, amazing opportunities, a new circle of friends – and the confidence to give up my permanent/pensionable job and to move to a country cottage where I keep hens, turkeys, a toddler and am currently looking into the pig situation.
I am a founder member of the Irish Food Bloggers Association, have been known to work as a barista, adore baking and am a Bridgestone editor.
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Hi Caroline
What is the best thing to do with Chard?
I love it just shredded and braised until tender with garlic and olive oil. A squeeze of lemon juice on top is always a winner too! I also shred and add it to soups or tomato-based stews.
In NZ they call it silverbeet – lots of ideas for that here!
Thank you, will try it in a stew, I have quite a lot and was a little stumped on what to do with it.
If you’re adding it to a stew, remove the central rib or stem and shred the leaves finely before adding them to the pot. You can also eat that stem but, as it’s a little tougher, it needs longer cooking time than the leaves.
The Husband sometimes tries it the lazy way but I like it much better when they’ve been separated!
Just wondering if, by any random chance, you’re Piers, my cousin in England?
I had seen quite a lot of text saying remove the stem, but was unsure as to why, so did.
I made some lamb balls using it with a Greek yoghurt sauce, a recipe from a Sunday paper which was lovely. It said use Swiss Chard, I presume that Chard is one in the same.
After cooking it and tasting it, I think it would lend it’s self to a stew more. I will let you know the outcome.
Ps yes I am. Hope you are well
It’s just that the stem is a bit tougher than the leaves – which are plenty tough themselves, especially when older! – so a lot of people prefer to leave it out of the dish. Being a waste-hating Hennessy, I just cook it separately for a little while longer.
Swiss chard and chard and silverbeet, if you’re ever down NZ direction, are all one and the same thing. That lamb meatballs recipe sounds great – I’m a fan of anything to do with yoghurt!
Lovely to hear from you, Piers. All good in Ireland – unfortunately missed you last time you were around. Hope you had a good trip.
I found you and your foodblog few days ago and I’m jelous of your hens:) Happy to be a new follower:)
The hens are still going, although we’re down to just two at the moment and one of them seems to think that she needs to stash her eggs somewhere in the ditch!