Swiss chard
ANSWERS FROM THE URBAN HOMESTEAD
Q. I’ve been catching up on your posts and would love to know what is in the swiss chard salad. I have chard in my garden right now and would love another way to use it. Thanks!!
A. Thanks Mia for your wanting the recipe. Having cooked from scratch with homegrown ingredients ever since I was 13, I sometimes think to myself I really should publish a cookbook recalling my teenage days when the summer harvest would come in and I’d be stuck with a bunch of this and that and having no prior culinary experience (and no Internet) had to find recipes or make up my own. Perhaps one day.
Here’s the recipe, it’s really very, very simple.
Anaїs’ Simple Swiss Chard Salad
Cupful handfuls of freshly picked Swiss chard (ruby red or bright lights varieties are my favorite and make stunning contrast against the dark green leaves)
Hold swiss chard bunch tightly in one hand and slice into shreds (stem and all - the stems are what give this salad a delicate crunch)
Drizzle homemade Italian dressing (make either with balsamic or raw apple cider vinegar - both work and you may like one over the other) or any organic store bought just enough to completely coat shredded leaves and steams. Toss and refrigerate for about 45 minutes. That’s it.
Variations: sprinkle with lightly roasted sesame seeds.
Oh, btw. For those who inquired to know more about the urban homestead’s unplugged kitchen sometime ago. I hope you all haven’t felt slighted. I haven’t had time to answer because I am waiting for some goods to be featured on the PEDDLERS WAGON before I write about it. I promise there’s a post in the works…. as always stay tuned.
Q. I love your site, I learn so much from every post!
I have a question - might be a silly one, I don’t know - we always buy large pumpkins in October for the front porch… People tell me that the pumpkin isn’t good to eat, only the seeds. Can we eat these large pumpkins, too? I’ve only used smaller ones for pies, but maybe these can be grilled or something? - Anita
A. Hello Anita, thanks for your questions and positive compliments. Certainly does help to get feedback which inspires us to continue our commitment in sharing our journey.
No, you have asked a very good question. They are both right and wrong. Wrong, because you can eat them. Right in that these pumpkins are raised primarily for decorative purposes, and the bigger they are the less they taste like true pumpkins. Having salvaged quite a few “pumpkin” displays over the years from local supermarkets, I can tell you that they taste nothing like homegrown. These “display” pumpkins have been “watered down in taste.” So yes, you can eat them but they really don’t taste like much. I also find that their interior flesh is more stringy, which makes a lumpy pumpkin pie. Grilled pumpkin sounds good, perhaps even pumpkin butter. I usually use the pumpkin to make baked goods (bread, muffins, etc.), which seems to “mask” the stringiness.
Any other recipe suggestions for “display pumpkins,” readers?
Q. ? for you. I live in MN and we air dry all our laundry outside in all seasons except Winter. We want to start doing that in Winter also, but am concerned about how to do it where we keep the temp @ 60F. Any ideas on how best to do in the house? - Devine
A. Devin, thanks for your question. I’m sorta at a disadvantage answering such a question living in So Cal where winters are reasonably mild. Perhaps bone-fide winter climate readers can weigh in.
We have a few wood dryer racks and if space is tight I would suggest the LAUNDRY AIRER from England (PW plug!) or any clothes drying rack.
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Tags: beet, beets, cabbage, guava, what is swiss chard