Farmers Market Fresh, Fast, and Fabulous!
Here’s a recipe for Rainbow Chard with Mushrooms Garlic and Pine Nuts with Goat Cheese and Pomegranate Arils. It’s a surprising bite of wonderful flavors and textures. The combination of slightly bitter greens to earthy mushrooms and garlic, creamy, and salty goat cheese, then the bright, crisp bite of the pomegranate aryl is positively irresistible. I think you’re going to love eating your veggies!
This is a nice side dish for the holidays too. Really different and full of flavor. Just do the prep work ahead of time and then it cooks in just a few minutes.
If you’re visiting farmers’ markets now, you can’t help but notice the gorgeous bunches of freshly grown chard towering brightly on the tables. That’s where I got mine. At the local Fenton Family Farmstand. The colorful masses of fresh rainbow chard look irresistible. This bunch was grown with great care by Juan, the owner of Canyon Valley Farms.
If you can, get it in the morning while it’s vibrant and just picked. It’s a delicious change to the typical “what’s on the side” tonight.
About Swiss Chard
The colorful, leafy green known as Swiss chard is not even Swiss at all, it comes from the Mediterranean. It’s also actually a beet that was developed specifically for its edible stems and leaves, which are often used in recipes as a substitute for spinach. Swiss chard is a biennial crop, available year-round and is unique in that it does well in both cool and hot temperatures. Better yet, it’s low in calories, high in fiber and nutrients. It’s easy to grow as it does well even in poor soil, so……..my chances of a great crop are looking good.
Swiss Chard is referred to as “Rainbow Chard” when the stalks are pink, dark pink, or even golden color.
The taste of chard is bitter when raw, but once cooked it becomes more mellow. Many who try and enjoy the taste of kale or greens actually like sauteed chard much better. Let’s see what you think!
Rainbow Chard with Mushrooms, Garlic and Pine Nuts with Goat Cheese and Pomegranate Arils
Wash the chard well, removing any sand or dirt, drain and dry. Remove the stems, but don’t discard. Instead, chop the stems into small dice. Set aside.
Stack the leaves then chop into fairly thin ribbons, set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 8 ounces of cleaned and quartered cremini mushrooms and cook, undisturbed, until brown, about 3 minutes; season with a good pinch of salt and a bit of freshly grated black pepper. Add 1 clove of chopped garlic and continue cooking another minute, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer mushrooms to a plate set aside.
In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chard stems, season with a pinch of salt and a bit more freshly ground black pepper, and cook until stems begin to soften about 3 minutes. Stir in one more clove of chopped garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
