THE MAINE MARKET BASKET

 A weekly news service for promoting 

 Maine's healthy, local and seasonal

 foods.

Featured crop: Swiss Chard

Go to a Maine farmers' market in the early fall and you will see many people confidently picking up apples, winter squash, and cabbage, while steering clear of other seasonal produce such as kale and Swiss chard. 

In the case of chard, it is not so much unloved as misunderstood.  The confusion starts with its name.  Despite what you might think, there's nothing particularly Swiss about Swiss chard.  It grows just as well in Maine, if not better, than in the thin air of the Swiss alps. 

So, how can Swiss chard charm its way into more Maine hearts?  The trick to selling any new product to people is to present it in terms of ones they already know.  So here's how a sales pitch for chard might go: imagine all the leafy greenness and vitamins of spinach, the neon colors of bell peppers, all combined with a hint of the sweet taste of beets and, ta da, you've got Swiss chard! 

Maine garden writer, Barbara Damrosch, recently wrote that "the good things of the garden don't remain secret forever".  She wasn't writing specifically about chard, but she could have been. With more people looking to experiment with new flavors and ingredients, this could be the year that we finally let the secret about Maine Swiss chard out of the bag. 

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Shopping info:

Swiss chard is a leafy green vegetable with edible stems that can vary in color (white, yellow, orange, pink or red) depending on the variety.  The leaves should be a crisp green and not wilted or dried out. 

While it is best to use chard immediately after purchase, it may be kept for 3-5 days in your refrigerator's crisper.
 

Preparation info:

Wash chard well until no sand or grit appears at the bottom of your sink. Baby Swiss chard can be eaten raw in a salad, but chard is at its best when allowed to mature. 

The thing to keep in mind in preparing chard is that is it like two vegetables in one with two different sets of cooking times.  The leafy greens are like spinach and cook up very quickly (3-4 minutes, blanched or sautéed) whereas the stems have the firm feel of celery and take longer (8-12 minutes) to cook. 

Chard can be eaten on its own or added to stir-frys, stews, and soups.
 

Featured Recipe:

Swiss Chard and Chick Pea Soup with Lemon

Ingredients:

1 15 oz can chickpeas

1 medium onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 tbsp of olive or vegetable oil
1 bunch (4 cups) washed, coarsely cut Swiss chard
4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 tbsp lemon juice

Procedure:
1. Combine oil, onion and carrot and cook over medium heat until the onion is softened, but not brown.
2. Add Swiss chard along with broth. Simmer until the stems are nearly soft, about 10 minutes.
3. Add chickpeas and simmer for ten minutes.
4. Stir in lemon juice and add salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4
 

Did you know?

-Swiss chard is closely related to the beet.

-A Swiss botanist determined the plant’s scientific name which explains why we call it "Swiss".

-A Maine seed company, Johnny's Selected Seeds, helped contribute to the global popularity of Swiss Chard when it developed a variety with brightly colored stems. 

What else is in season?

Seasonal availability of produce in Maine varies from week to week and from one farm or farmers' market to the next.

Swiss chard is available in Maine from July through October.

The following items are also considered widely available statewide as of this date: apples, salad greens, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, beets, broccoli, beet greens, eggplant, herbs, leeks, onions, potatoes, peppers, sweet corn, Swiss chard, scallions, tomatoes, zucchini and summer squash.

For more info on the seasonal availability of Maine produce, see the chart posted here.

Where to buy fresh, Maine-grown foods in your area:

       Find farmers markets in your area here

         Find farmstands in your area here

        Find CSA farms in your area here

     Find local "pick-your-own" farms here

For more info about the availability of Maine food and farm products, please see: http://www.getrealmaine.com

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