Roasted Chard Stems

Alstede Fresh Roasted Chard Stems

Learning to use the entire part of fruits and vegetables is not only sensible, it’s environmentally friendly, more economical, and healthier for you. Stretching your food budget by using the whole plant provides opportunities to explore new tastes and nutrition from other parts of the plant that may otherwise be discarded and contribute to landfill emissions.
Getting to know the entire plant creates a better connection to your food which creates a healthier mindset and value for our food culture. Try this recipe to create a delicious dish from stems that typically would be discarded.

Ingredients:
bunch of chard stems
1/4 tsp. salt
olive oil for spraying pan and chard
1/4 cup coarsely grated parmesan cheese
coarse ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:
Trim any discolored ends from chard stems, then cut stems on an angle into pieces about 3 inches long.
If some stems are very thick, you may wish to cut them lengthwise so all pieces are approximately the same thickness.
Preheat oven to 400 F (or 375 F with convection.) Bring a pot of water to a boil, add salt and chard stems and boil about 6 minutes. Let chard drain well.
Spray a non-stick baking dish with olive oil. Place chard in the pan and mist lightly with olive oil, then sprinkle with cheese. (If doubling the recipe, make two layers, misting each layer with oil and sprinkling with cheese.) Bake about 20 minutes, or until chard is softened and cheese is slightly browned on the edges. Season with fresh ground black pepper if desired and serve hot.

Farm Kitchen Tip: This dish tastes best when served hot so keep that in mind when serving. Any hard cheese tastes great in this recipe so you can use what you have on hand if desired.

Recipe & photo by Jenn Borealo, Alstede Farms Culinary & Educational Specialist