Swiss Chard Sauté over Simple Polenta

FRESH PRODUCE TIPS:

 - Swiss chard is related to beets and to spinach, so the flavor profile is similarly earthy and strong. Some folks find the flavor hard to get past, but we think it’s about learning how to pair the flavors to make them more palatable. Swiss chard is a workhorse in the garden and thrives in the early, cooler months. Even though it can seem like a giant bunch of Swiss chard is an overwhelming amount of produce, it cooks down significantly so that a fat bundle of 10 stalks might only make enough for two eaters.

 - Garlic scapes are a delicious and delicate early season entry into the rhythm of consuming local garlic. If you are buying local garlic, or growing your own, then you’ll notice that the curly pig’s tail coming up and out of the garlic plants happens to arrive just as last years garlic becomes less useable due to the roots and shoots poking out of either end of the bulbs. To use them, simply snip off the pointy bud end, and trim the bottom right where it becomes inflexible and fibrous.

Great on a budget!

Leafy greens and simple grains are always good for budget friendly meals! Cornmeal is inexpensive and can be used in everything from breads and pancakes to polenta, so its excellent to keep in the house. Chard is a great addition to a home garden because even just one plant can produce enough for a family of four to have a meal like this once a week. Even though it would take a good amount of space to grow your own dry corn to turn into a significant amount of cornmeal, it is a beautiful and simple thing to grow so maybe worth trying sometime!

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch Swiss chard (10-15 stems)

• 3 garlic scapes

• 1 small onion

• 1 tbsp yellow curry powder

• 1/4 c. apple cider vinegar

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1 c. water

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 c. ground cornmeal (not corn flour or masa)

• 1 tbsp butter

• 1/4 c. milk

Optional: this meal is delicious with fried or baked chicken drumsticks and wings, or spicy sausage.

Preparation

1. Peel the onion and cut in half from tip to root, then thinly slice into long strips. 

2. Mince the garlic scapes into little pieces

3. Chop the stem off of each chard leaf, set the leafy part aside. Chop the stem into thin pieces.

4. In a small amount of oil in a large, shallow pan, sauté the onion, garlic scapes, and chard stem until soft and slightly browned. Add in the curry powder and stir to coat everything in it. 

5. Meanwhile, slice the leaves into long strips about 1/4 inch wide, like ribbons. Once the stuff in the pan is soft, add in the chopped leaves and carefully toss to mix everything up.

6. After about a minute, add the vinegar and quickly cover the pan and lower the heat. The steam from the vinegar with wilt the greens quickly. 

7. Remove the cover after a minute and stir everything up. Add the salt and cook on low until the liquid has evaporated.

8. Meanwhile, bring the water with salt to a boil. Once it starts to boil, use a whisk or a fork to stir the water while you slowly pour the cornmeal in. Keep stirring, it will help to prevent lumps. 

9. You’ll notice that the mixture will thicken quickly. Once this happens, remove from the heat and keep stirring. 

10. Add in the milk and butter.

11. Serve hot topped with the Swiss chard!