Bacon, garlic, and a little onion add flavor to this dish of Swiss chard.
Swiss chard has long been one of my favorite vegetables because it's tasty and so easy to grow. Chard is related to beet greens, and the leaves are mild flavored, similar to spinach. Both the stalks and the leaves are edible.
Swiss chard should be cooked in a nonreactive pan. Stainless steel or an enamel-lined saucepan or Dutch oven are good choices.
Ingredients
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2 bunches (about 2 pounds) Swiss chard, white ribbed or a mixture of colors like rainbow, red, yellow
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3 to 4 slices bacon, diced
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1/4 to 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
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1 clove garlic, mashed and finely minced
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2 tablespoons unsalted butter
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2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
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1 pinch nutmeg
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Kosher salt, to taste
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Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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Wash chard and cut off thicker stems. Thinly slice the stems and chop leaves into 1/2- to 1-inch pieces.
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Steam or boil the stems for about 5 minutes.
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Then add chard and cook until wilted, about 4 minutes longer.
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Drain well, squeezing out excess moisture if necessary.
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In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook the diced bacon until crisp; remove and set aside.
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Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is tender.
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Stir in the cooked drained chard and the reserved bacon; set aside.
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In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in the flour until smooth and bubbly.
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Add the half-and-half or milk and nutmeg. Cook, stirring, until smooth and thickened. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
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Add about 1/2 of the sauce to the chard, stirring to blend.
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Stir in more or all of the remaining sauce mixture, as desired.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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169 | Calories |
11g | Fat |
13g | Carbs |
7g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 4 to 6 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 169 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 11g | 14% |
Saturated Fat 6g | 31% |
Cholesterol 32mg | 11% |
Sodium 508mg | 22% |
Total Carbohydrate 13g | 5% |
Dietary Fiber 4g | 13% |
Total Sugars 4g | |
Protein 7g | |
Vitamin C 29mg | 144% |
Calcium 140mg | 11% |
Iron 4mg | 21% |
Potassium 964mg | 21% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |