Perhaps we should treat chard as two vegetables: the earthy, heavily furrowed stalks and the lush, veined leaves. The stalks, not unlike celery, take longer to cook, and suit being baked under a blanket of gorgonzola cream sauce or simmered in a lemon and oil stock. The leaves can be treated like spinach, but are more resilient, wide and earthy.
Few vegetables are as beautiful as a bunch of rainbow chard, with its wide stems in sherbet colours of apricot and rhubarb, orange and raspberry red. Sometimes I toss the blanched leaves with boiled chickpeas, lemon and olive oil and cook the stems in a shallow pan, continually basting them with butter, thyme and lemon zest. But today the leaves are part of an unruly pie and the stems are braised with parsley, pepper and breadcrumbs.
Braised chard with herb crumbs
Chard stalks are soft and juicy when simmered, gently, in a seasoned liquid such as olive oil, lemon juice and water, or even vegetable stock. Their earthy notes sweeten. I like to introduce a layer of crunch by scattering seasoned breadcrumbs – in this case with sunflower seeds and parsley – over the surface. Light and gently flavoured, this is something to use as a side dish (we ate it again last night, with bread to soak up the juices) or to serve as a principal dish in its own right.
Serves 2
salami 100g, in the piece
olive oil 6 tbsp
chard 500g (300g stalks)
lemon 1
black peppercorns 8
For the herb crumbs:
ciabatta 100g, or other light bread
flat-leaf parsley 12 bushy stems
sunflower seeds
butter 60g
Remove the skin from the salami and cut it into 1cm-thick slices, then slice those into chubby matchsticks. Warm the oil in a wide, shallow-sided pan, for which you have a lid, then add the matchsticks of salami. Let the salami cook over a low to moderate heat for 5-7 minutes until it has scented the oil.
Remove the leaves from the chard, setting them aside, if they are in fine fettle, for another dish. Cut the chard stalks into short lengths – 3 or 4cm will do. Remove the salami from the oil and set aside for later.
Place the chard stalks, snugly in one layer, in the pan then leave to cook over a moderate heat for 5 minutes until their colour has brightened, then pour in 200ml of water. Squeeze the lemon and add the juice to the chard, together with 8 black peppercorns and a little salt, partially cover the pan with a lid, and leave to simmer for 20-30 minutes. Occasionally baste the chard with the cooking juices, turning the pieces over at least once.
Make the ciabatta into coarse crumbs. Chop the parsley leaves, not too finely. Warm the butter in a frying pan, add the sunflower seeds and let them cook for a minute or two until they smell warm and nutty, then add the breadcrumbs. Leave the crumbs to cook for a couple of minutes, moving them round the pan occasionally until they are crisp and golden. Stir in the chopped parsley, the reserved salami and, if you wish, a little salt (I don’t feel it is needed).
Scatter the crumbs over the salami and serve, spooning over the cooking juices as you go.
Chard and Waterloo tarts
There are several ways you could make these: by wrapping the cheese and chard up, envelope-style, like a spanakopita; fashioning them into a little parcel like a 1980s canapé; or, as I have done here, using a classic loose-bottomed tart tin. The point is to prevent the melting cheese from escaping, so I prefer to use the tart-tin method, sealing the pastry loosely at the top like a croustade. Either way, you get crisp, flaking pastry, green leaves and oozing cheese.
Makes 4
For the filling:
chard leaves 250g
Waterloo cheese 250g
For the pastry:
butter 60g
filo pastry 8 sheets, measuring roughly 45x30cm
Set the oven at 200C/gas mark 6.
Wash the chard leaves thoroughly – like spinach, they tend to hold grit. Put a shallow layer of water, about 100ml, into a shallow pan, add the chard leaves, cover tightly with a lid and steam for 5 minutes until wilted.
Remove the leaves from the pan and drain in a colander. Squeeze the leaves to remove the water, then roughly chop them. Season with salt and black pepper, and set aside.
To make the tarts, melt the butter in a small pan. Place a sheet of filo on a lightly floured board. Brush it with some of the butter, then place a second sheet on top. Brush that, too.
Fold the pastry in half to give a sheet roughly 22.5 x 30cm then gently push the sheet of pastry into the tart case, taking great care not to tear it, leaving the pastry overhanging the sides. Repeat with the other sheets, so you have four, lined tart cases.
Divide the chard between the pastry cases. Cut the cheese into small pieces then divide between the tart cases. Pull the overhanging pastry of each tart case loosely over the top of the cheese and chard, then butter it generously.
Place the tarts on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes until crisp and golden brown. Leave to cool slightly before serving, either in the metal tart cases, or, if you are feeling brave, by running a palette knife around the edge of each case and gently easing the tarts out. Eat while still warm and crisp.
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