Page 16 - ALG Issue 1 2025

CHARD
RECIPES
Chard is one of the easiest, robust and decorative crops to grow on the plot. If looked after, they can survive the winter and give tasty new leaves before new sowings have started to crop.They can
be harvested as cut and come again – the smaller (5cm/2’’) leaves are ideal for salads, or if cut off whole, 2” above the base, the plant will resprout several times over a season.
CHARD DIP
A dip similar to baba ganoush - but no need for aubergines.
Aubergines are quite difficult to grow outdoors where I live. I think they need more heat and sunshine than we get most summers. But I do love my dips, like hummus and baba ganoush. Imagine my delight when I learnt you can make a substitute dip from chard, which grows really well on my allotment.
Russell Atwood – Kettering Allotments
Ingredients
100g Swiss chard - use the white leaf petioles (the stem-like ribs in the middle of the leaves)
2 garlic cloves
Tahini - 2 tablespoons
2 Lemons - juiced
Olive oil - 2 tablespoons plus some to drizzle on the finished product
Recipe
Cut the Swiss chard leaf petioles (ribs) into small pieces, 2cm or so, and place in a saucepan; add juice of a lemon to prevent browning and cover with water; boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Add cooked chard with the other ingredients to a blender (more lemon juice) and blend until smooth. Dress with olive oil and serve with flatbread or crackers.
CHARD GRATIN
Ingredients
340g chard leaves
150ml double cream
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
140g grated gruyère
Butter
2 tbsp finely grated parmesan 200C/180C fan/gas 6 for 30 minutes
Recipe
Wash and strip the chard leaves from the stalks, then cut the stalks into sticks. Add the stalks to a pan of boiling water and cook for 3-4 mins until they soften.Then add the leaves until they just wilt. Drain well.
Mix the cream, mustard and most of
the cheese then combine the chard leaves. Grease a medium gratin dish, spread the mix over, then scatter with the remaining cheeses. Bake until bubbling and golden.
THAI STYLE CHARD
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 finely diced shallot
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
Half small dried red chilli - crumbled 500g chard (use leaves only)
60ml light coconut milk
Coarse salt
Recipe
Add onion, garlic, ginger and chilli to hot oil in a large pan and cook until tender and fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes. Add chard leaves, coconut milk, and
2 tablespoons water. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until chard is tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt.
16 | Issue 1 2025 | Allotment and Leisure Gardener