Several years ago, we grew Swiss Chard in our garden. It was fantastic fresh out of the garden and simply prepared. Since then, I have purchased it at the store occasionally. Although it is good, it is not as good as eating it fresh from the garden.
I decided to change up the way I prepared it and add the flavors of one of my guilty pleasures…a wilted green salad with hot bacon dressing. However, I wanted to cook the stems and the chard a little more than just wilting it with a hot dressing.
Here is the result:
Swiss Chard With Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 large or 2 standard bunches of Swiss chard
- 3 - 4 strips of bacon
- 1/2 Tbsp. olive or walnut oil
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1/3 c. vegetable or chicken stock
- salt, to taste
- 1 1/2 - 2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
- 2 - 3 Tbsp. sugar (to taste)
Instructions
- Prep Swiss chard by cutting stalks into 1 1/2 to 2 inch pieces and greens into 2 to 3 inch strips.
- Fry bacon until crispy in a large, deep skillet or dutch oven. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Add oil. Once oil is hot, add garlic.
- De-glaze pan by adding stock.
- Add stems of Swiss chard and allow to cook for a couple of minutes before adding leaves.
- Add crumbled bacon.
- Once leaves are placed in pan, cover and cook for about one minute before stirring.
- Leaves will start to wilt immediately.
- Mix vinegar and sugar in a small bowl.
- Add salt and vinegar mixture to greens.
- Make sure leaves are coated.
- As soon as leaves are wilted, remove from pan and serve warm.
Notes
Other types of vinegar can be used.
Other sweeteners can be substituted for sugar.
Like other greens, the volume will greatly reduce as they cook. The wilted volume is significantly less than half the raw volume.
Cook time for the leaves is about 3 to 4 minutes.
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Swiss Chard With Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 large or 2 standard bunches of Swiss chard
- 3 - 4 strips of bacon
- 1/2 Tbsp. olive or walnut oil
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1/3 c. vegetable or chicken stock
- salt, to taste
- 1 1/2 - 2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
- 2 - 3 Tbsp. sugar (to taste)
Instructions
- Prep Swiss chard by cutting stalks into 1 1/2 to 2 inch pieces and greens into 2 to 3 inch strips.
- Fry bacon until crispy in a large, deep skillet or dutch oven. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Add oil. Once oil is hot, add garlic.
- De-glaze pan by adding stock.
- Add stems of Swiss chard and allow to cook for a couple of minutes before adding leaves.
- Add crumbled bacon.
- Once leaves are placed in pan, cover and cook for about one minute before stirring.
- Leaves will start to wilt immediately.
- Mix vinegar and sugar in a small bowl.
- Add salt and vinegar mixture to greens.
- Make sure leaves are coated.
- As soon as leaves are wilted, remove from pan and serve warm.
Notes
Other types of vinegar can be used.
Other sweeteners can be substituted for sugar.
Like other greens, the volume will greatly reduce as they cook. The wilted volume is significantly less than half the raw volume.
Cook time for the leaves is about 3 to 4 minutes.
Just tried this recipe and cannot believe how good it is!!!!
Been looking for a way to use a glut of chard and this is it. The whole family loved it!
Will try it also now adding a little chili as part of Thai style dish.
Well done and thank you
Darren,
I am very glad you like it. It is now my family’s favorite way to eat chard. The chili sound like a very intriguing idea… I would love to know how it turns out.