Becoming Crunchy

English: Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris) with variously colored stems on sale at an outdoor farmers’ market in Rochester, Minnesota (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Any of you with CSA boxes to pick up (or get dropped off) this summer may be looking for creative ways to use Swiss Chard – I know I always am! Try as I might, I’m just not a huge fan of it sauteed (though it is pretty decent with eggs).

I’ve also enjoyed it roasted with shrimp and au gratin and contemplated making it into chips (have you tried that? Is it as good as kale?) and tonight decided to do a little experimenting with stuff that was leftover in the fridge. As it turned out to be quite tasty, I’m sharing it here – and would love to hear of your creative ways to use chard!

Chard & Feta Tarts

• 1 recipe puff pastry – store bought or homemade
• 1 large bunch Swiss Chard
• 6-8 Garlic Scapes
• 1 1/2 cups sliced white button mushrooms
• Feta to top
• Salt & Pepper

This was a really easy dinner that could probably be modified according to what you have on hand (alternate chard with any other green; alternate garlic scapes with garlic, green onions, leeks, or any kind of onion). I even used the food processor to make it really quick.

Preheat oven to 425.

Use food processor (or chop by hand) to chop fine chard, garlic scapes and mushrooms. If you use the food processor I recommend chopping each thing separately.

Heat oil of choice in a large saute pan (I used olive oil) and saute chard, scapes and mushrooms together until soft, about 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, line muffin pans (I used jumbo muffin pans but smaller would also work) with sections of pastry; leave enough to fold over tops when filled. Don’t worry too much about making it pretty – it’ll still taste good!

Fill cups with green mixture and top with a bit of feta (I used herbed goat cheese feta leftover from making a salad). Fold tops of pastry over to cover and dot the middle of each tart with butter.

Bake 16-20 minutes until pastry is golden; serve.

A few notes…

This could work well as a side or a main dish (would also make a good breakfast!). The husband did think it would be better with eggs; I think it would be good either way.

All in all, a very quick prep time, easy clean up and a (mostly) healthy meal – and a tasty way to use some of that chard!

Now to start thinking of more ways to use zucchini…

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