TOMATO AND CHARD PIE

350 g chard, shredded
350 g tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2 tablepsoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 onion, peeled and chopped
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried sage
2 eggs, beaten
115 g cheddar cheese, grated
Shortcrust pastry for your flan dish

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 425°F/ Gas Mark 7. Line a 20 cm/ 8 inch flan dish with pastry and bake blind for 3-4 minutes. Reduce the heat to 200°C/ 400°F/ Gas Mark 6. Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onions and garlic. Add the tomatoes, chard, herbs and seasoning and simmer the mixture for another 5 minutes. Pour this into the pie dish when ready. Place the beaten eggs over the sauté mixture, top with the grated cheese and bake for 15 minutes. Serve hot.

SPAGHETTI WITH CREAMY CHARD SAUCE

500 g chard
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
120 ml water
1 tablespoon vegetable stock
Salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon mixed herbs
1 bay leaf
4 tablespoon flour
240 ml milk (or soya milk)
240 ml water
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons yeast flakes
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Cut the stems from the chard but do not throw away. Chop the leaves roughly. Place the stems of the chard into a large frying pan. Boil them up with some water and the stock. Add the onion and garlic. When the onion is tender, season with salt and pepper and simmer with a lid on for five minutes. Now add the chopped leaves of the chard along with the herbs and let simmer till the chard is tender. Meanwhile mix the flour with some of the milk to form a paste and put aside. Put the rest of the milk into a separate pan along with the water, and heat slowly. Stir in the salt, pepper, mustard powder and yeast flakes. Stir in the paste and heat until thickened — stir continually to avoid lumps. Once ready, stir the sauce into the chard and simmer for a couple of minutes. Serve over spaghetti.

GREEN SOUP

1 big bunch chard
1 bunch kale
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1/2 bunch parsley
1&1/4 L water
1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
1 large potato
2 onions, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2&1/2 teaspoons olive oil
3-4 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
1 tablespoon lemon juice, more to taste
fresh ground black pepper
pinch of cayenne

Wash the greens thoroughly, then cut the chard and kale off their stems and slice the leaves. Combine the chard, kale, green onions, and parsley in a soup pot with the water and salt. Peel the potato, or just scrub it well if you prefer, cut it into big pieces and add it to the pot. Bring the water to a boil, turn down the flame, and let it simmer for about half an hour. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan and cook the chopped onions in it slowly, with a sprinkle of salt, until they are golden brown and soft. This will take up to forty-five minutes - don't hurry; you only need to give them a stir once in a while, and it's the slow cooking that develops the sweetness. If you like, you can deglaze the pan at the end with a bit of Marsala or sherry - not required, but a nice touch.

Add the caramelized onions to the soup. Put another teaspoon of oil in the pan and stir the chopped garlic in it for just a couple of minutes, until it sizzles and smells great. Add the garlic to the pot and simmer everything together for a few minutes more. Add enough broth to make the soup, and puree it in the blender in batches. Don't overprocess; anything with potatoes in it can get slimy if you work it too much. Return the soup to the pot, bring it back to a simmer, and taste. Add salt as needed, grind in a little black pepper, add a pinch of cayenne, and a tablespoon of lemon juice. Stir well and garnish as you wish.

CHARD WITH BALSAMIC VINEGAR

500 g chard, washed and chopped, stems discarded
1-2 tomatoes, chopped
1&1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Sauté the tomatoes over medium heat in large pan until cooked, about 10-15 minutes. Add the vinegar, chard and a little water if the pan is dry. Cover and steam the vegetables until cooked to desired consistency. Check occasionally to be sure that there is enough water in the pan. Serve hot.

CHARD, MUSHROOM AND PASTA FRITTATAS

100 g mushrooms, quartered
20 g macaroni
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 spring onion, peeled and chopped
1/4 red pepper, diced
10 g unsalted butter
60g organic chard, chopped roughly
3 large eggs, beaten and then strained
1 tablespoon grated parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook the macaroni. When ready, drain, refresh with cold water and drain again. Pat dry with kitchen towel to remove any excess moisture. Meanwhile heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil in a medium sized frying pan. Cook the onion over low heat until golden — about 5-7 minutes. Add the diced pepper and mushrooms and continue to cook for another 5 minutes until tender. Add the butter to the fry pan and stir in the chard. Cook until the leaves have wilted. Remove from the heat and transfer to a mixing bowl and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Stir in the macaroni and beaten eggs, mixing well. Season to taste. Add the remaining oil to the frying pan and put over moderate heat. Pour in the frittata mixture. If it puffs up and bubbles around the edges, push back down with a wooden spoon, which will ensure that the entire filling is covered with egg. Lower the heat after a minute and cook for another 8 minutes. The frittata is ready to go under the grill when there is no liquid egg running out when you tip the pan. It should be a little soft but still set in the centre. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the top and place the pan under preheated grill and cook until golden. Serve heated or allow to cool and place in the refrigerator for a great school lunch.

CHARD AND RISOTTO RICE SOUP

This recipe comes from one of our customers, Vanessa Bailey. She says you can also make this with spinach, pac choi or any other leafy greens. These quantities are enough for 4 people.

Large bunch of chard
Olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 chilli, finely chopped
4 oz risotto rice
2 pints vegetable stock
Seasoning
Parmesan, optional

Cut the green leafy parts off the chard and wash, save the stems for stir-frying. Cook the chard using only the water clinging to the leaves, then chop finely and retain any liquid. Sauté the onion, garlic and chilli in a little olive oil until softened, add the rice and stir. Add the stock and any leftover liquid from the chard. Simmer until the rice is almost cooked, add the cooked chard and add seasoning. Once the rice is cooked and the chard has heated through, serve with grated parmesan.

CREAMY SWISS CHARD PASTA

An easy and healthy way to use chard! Use any pasta you like and serve with a side salad, or tomatoes in balsamic vinegar, and baguette. Serves 4

400 g chard, washed and cut into strips
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 onion, chopped
120 g plain yoghurt
120 g crème fraiche
120ml cream
120ml milk
1 large handful grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
300 g long pasta, like tagliatelle
A sprinkling of nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 1 handful of frozen peas, thawed

Cook the pasta and drain. Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat for about 1 minute. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes, or until it begins to soften; add the chard and garlic and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and add yoghurt, crème fraiche, milk and peas. Let it simmer for 1 minute then add mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper, and parmesan. Add the pasta and toss to coat, taste for seasoning and serve.

CHARD AND ONION TART

Perfect for Sunday brunch, with tomato salad and crusty bread. 6-8 Servings

1 sheet ready rolled puff pastry
2 tablespoons butter
2 large onions, any colour, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1/2 bunch chard, ribs removed, leaves shredded
300ml whipping cream
3 whole eggs, AND 2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch of grated nutmeg

Roll out pastry a little, into a square. Transfer to a standard pie dish, trimming the overhand to 1/2 a thumb’s width. Fold crust under; crimp edges, cover and chill. Melt butter in large non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat. Add onions (and dried thyme), sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Add chard; sauté until wilted, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Position rack in bottom half of oven; preheat to 220°C, 425°F, gas mark 7. Whisk together cream and the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Mix in the cooled veg mixture (and fresh thyme); pour filling into crust. Bake 15 minutes, reduce heat to 180°C, 350°F, gas mark 4 and bake until pastry is puffed and just set in centre, about 15 minutes longer. Cool 10 minutes and serve warm or cold.

WHITE BEAN AND CHARD SOUP

Makes 4 starters, or 2 main meals

200 g chard or kale, stalks removed
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
80 ml olive oil
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
225 g cooked small white beans, rinsed if tinned
1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
Pepper to taste
1 handful small pasta, such as macaroni, orzo or shells
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

In a medium saucepan, cook the chard with 120 ml water and the salt over medium heat until it is tender. Drain the chard, reserving any liquid that remains. Coarsely chop the chard. In a small bowl, combine the anchovies and rosemary. In a medium saucepan, stir together the oil, garlic, anchovies and rosemary over a medium heat and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the chard and cook for about 3 minutes. Stir in the beans and cook for 3 minutes more. Add any reserved cooking liquid and the stock. Bring to the boil, add the pasta, and boil for 8 minutes, or until the pasta is tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve topped with Parmesan.

CHARD WITH CHICKPEAS AND FETA

Serves 4 as a side dish

4 tablespoons olive oil
450 g chard, stems removed
4 spring onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 garlic cloves, minced
450 g cooked chickpeas
Salt and pepper to taste
75 g feta cheese, crumbled

Preheat the oven to 200°C, 400°F, gas mark 6. Coat a medium baking dish with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place the chard in a large saucepan, add 100 ml water, cover and cook over a high heat for about 5 minutes, until it is wilted. Drain and rinse under cold water, then squeeze it dry and chop. In a medium bowl, toss the chard with the remaining oil, onions, dill, garlic and chickpeas. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture into the baking dish, sprinkle with feta and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until it is sizzling hot. Serve immediately.

SAUTÉED CHARD IN GARLIC BUTTER

Beautiful and delicious! Serves 2-4 as a side dish

450 g chard, stems cut into 3cm pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil
2 medium garlic cloves, sliced thinly

In a large pot of salted, boiling water, blanch the chard leaves for 30 seconds then remove them with a slotted spoon and put them in some chilled water to cool - once cool they are, pat them dry. Add the stems to the boiling water and cook for about 3 minutes until they’re almost tender. Drain and refresh them in the cool water. Combine the butter and garlic in a frying pan over a low heat; when garlic begins to colour add the chard leaves and stems. Warm until they are just tender, season to taste and serve.