Red chard with balsamic
I’m continuing to work my way through the last of what this year’s garden has to offer. This time, it’s red chard—one of those vegetables I find almost too striking to cook. Almost.
I’ve always loved leafy greens, and red chard is as beautiful as it is delicious. It’s also nutritious: a good source of vitamins A and C, folate, potassium, and iron. I pulled an old favorite book off my shelf while writing this—The Complete Guide to Nutritional Health, which my mom gave me probably 20 years ago—and was reminded just how long I’ve been turning to it for information like this.
One of my favorite things about cooking greens is how easy it becomes to eat a generous serving of them. A seemingly enormous pile cooks down to a fraction of its original volume. With chard, you can eat the entire thing: I chop the colorful stalks and given them a head start in the pan, then add the leaves once the stalks have softened. The stems bring color, texture, and a little extra beet-like bit to the finished dish.
This preparation is simple: red onion, a little smoked ham, bacon, or pancetta if you’d like, and a splash of good balsamic vinegar at the end. For a vegetarian version, skip the meat and crumble goat cheese over the warm chard before serving.
Red chard with balsamic
Serves 3–4
1 bunch red chard (about 8 large leaves), stems and leaves chopped separately
¼ red onion, sliced
3 oz smoked ham, pancetta, or thick-cut bacon, chopped (optional)
olive oil, as needed
salt + freshly ground black pepper
good-quality balsamic vinegar
crumbled goat cheese, for serving (optional)
Cook the ham, pancetta, or bacon, if using, in a large skillet over medium heat until it begins to brown and render its fat. If omitting the meat, start with a little olive oil. Add the red onion and chard stems, lightly season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add a little olive oil if the pan seems dry.
Add the chard leaves, cover and cook for about 1 minute. Remove the lid and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the leaves are just wilted. Finish with a splash of balsamic vinegar. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper before serving.
