Food | STYLE
Seasonal vegetable
Brighten your bowl and pack in the nutrients with a beautiful bunch of rainbow chard
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A ‘nutritional powerhouse’, chard is rich in iron, magnesium, potassium and A, C and K vitamins. Its distinctive flavour makes for a love-hate relationship and it is often underestimated. Simply braise it in a little stock or try the recipe below and you can’t go wrong.
By Wi l l Stewa rd L I V I NG L A RDER
RAINBOW CHARD
close relative of the beetroot and also known as beet leaf, chard dates back to the ancient Egyptian times. Available for most of the year but at its best in early summer when the new growth is growing at its fastest and is most succulent. Rainbow chard has thinner stalks and mid rib than its cousin the Swiss chard and its unmistakable colours look great across a dish.
This is a great tapas dish for these warm summer nights, it can also be eaten cold.
S U M M E R TA PA S Ingredients 80ml olive oil 1 bunch rainbow chard – stalks removed and thinly sliced lengthways 1 slice of good bread – torn into chunks. 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1/2 tsp ground cumin Pinch of dried chilli flakes A good handful of thyme, leaves picked 400g can chickpeas, rinsed, drained 1/4 tsp smoked paprika Salt to taste Method Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add chard stalks and cook for 3-4 minutes until tender, scoop out and then add another tbsp of oil, heat and then add the chard leaves, season and cook for 2-3 minutes until tender, remove from the pan. Heat the remaining oil in the frying pan and cook the bread for 3-4 minutes until golden. Add garlic, cumin, chilli flakes and thyme and cook for another minute. Transfer to a food processor and whiz until mixture resembles crumbs – you can also do this in the frying pan by breaking up the bread with a spoon. Return the crumbs to the frying pan with chickpeas and paprika. Stir until chickpeas are hot, finally add the chard and stir to warm through, then serve immediately. July and August 2020
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