Swiss Chard

The Swiss Chard is growing very well of late but is looking a little lacy. Flea beetles chew tiny holes in the leaves when they are very tender and are just beginning to emerge from the plant. As the leaves grow, the tiny holes expand. We're working on eliminating this problem but flea beetles are very determined pests. This week's recipe is adapted from The Joy of Japanese Cooking by Kuwako Takahashi; she calls for Spinach but any leafy green can be used and we've used Swiss Chard with this preparation for years.

Marinated Swiss Chard . . . or Spinach

1. Wash chard well.

2. Boil plenty of water with salt. When it is at the full boil, add a handful of chard, stir and when the water is at full boil again, lift out the chard and plunge it into a bowl of cold water. Drain and rinse with cold water until the chard is completely cold.

3. Gently squeeze out the water from the chard, then cut into 1 1/2" lengths and transfer to a shallow plate. The stems and leaves may be mixed, or they may be separated and used in different dishes. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon soy sauce over the chard and let it stand a few minutes.

4. Squeeze out the water again and marinate in the sauce 10-30 minutes.

5. Pile into small individual bowls, top with bonito flakes or toasted sesame and serve.

Our variation is to forgo cutting the chard into strips and to marinate it in the soy sauce whole. After allowing it to marinate and squeezing out the excess moisture we roll the leaves into sushi like forms and slice as seen in the picture below. We hope you enjoy this simple yet tasty preparation for your Swiss Chard or Spinach.

Marinated Spinach from The Joy of Japanese Cooking