Greens and beans and lots of local corn to keep it interesting!
Summer is definitely winding down!
I spotted some pumpkins and fall radishes at the farm stand today, and even though it was a humid 84 degrees, those signs reminded me that the change of season is on its way. After the heat and humidity of this summer, I’m ok with that.
Use it while you can!
I’m using as much local sweet corn as possible because that too will move aside to make way for all the squashes and root vegetables. It’s beautifully sweet this time of year, and the ears fat and juicy. Definitely corn chowder time, or a quick toss on the grill. It finds its way into many dishes, soups and salads, and lots of fun sides.
A garden staple
The Swiss chard has been with us all summer, although it was not terribly happy during the worst of the heat. It will stay with us in the cold frame well into December and sometimes beyond. The more you pick, the more you get!
Flavor, texture, nutrition
This side dish has a lot going for it, flavor and texture, plus tons of nutrition. I like it so much, leftovers are a perfect little lunch the next day! You can easily adjust the ratio of corn, beans, and chard, and if you like swap out a different green or herb. It’s all good! You can even swap the peppers out for a hot chili!
Swiss Chard with Black Beans and Local Corn
- 1 large bunch rainbow or ruby chard with stems
- 1 leek, diced
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 4 or 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 or 4 mini orange peppers, sliced
- 1 can no-salt added black beans
- 2 cups fresh cooked corn
- 1/3 cup white wine
- Juice and zest of 1 orange
- ¼ cup fresh chopped basil
- 2 tbsp. vegan or dairy butter
- 1 oz. macadamia nuts
Strip the leaves from the stems of the chard. Chop the stems and set them aside. Roll up the leaves and slice across, chiffonade, so you have a big pile of chard ribbons.
Prep the rest of the vegetables. Dice the leek, mince the garlic, slice the mini peppers, zest and juice the orange, and chop the basil.
Heat a large skillet over medium high and add the oil and leek. Sauté until softening and add the chard stems, garlic, and peppers. Season with salt and pepper.
Turn the heat down to medium and continue cooking until all the vegetables are soft. Add the beans and corn, then stir in the wine. Top with the chard ribbons, season with a little more salt, cover and let cook, stirring occasionally, just until the greens are soft.
Add the orange zest and juice and the chopped basil, mix it up well, then dot with butter, cover and let set a few minutes for the butter to ooze through.
Plate in a serving bowl or platter and top with the nuts and a little more fresh basil.
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Sounds wonderful! I love chard, but it has sure been wilted looking this summer, so I have not purchased any and I did not grow any herbs or veggies this summer with all the other things going on.
It doesn’t love the high heat of summer, mine just stopped growing. But we’ve had some good rain lately and it perked up!
The organic chard in the grocery today was beyond wilted. I am not sure why they even had it on the shelf!
I hate it when they do that! It seems like they leave the organic produce way past their time on the shelves but think nothing of tossing the conventionally grown. It isn’t even that much more expensive these days, and it gives the impression that organic is inferior.
Beet greens?
I always love your ingredient combinations, plus your little twists, like adding the orange in here. Fabulous!
Thank you Mimi! I have to laugh, because as I’ve already confessed, I was planning to use lemon but was all out. My little forgotten orange got drafted and really livened things up!
I have some Swisschard in my garden, this will be a good recipe to use it. The Nasturtium flowers adds a nice pop to the salad.
I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. The nasturtium add a lovely little peppery bite!
This sounds tasty and healthy!
Thank you! It was really good, and I felt more healthy just looking at it!
There are so many flavors packed in this dish. Sounds quite tasty!
The orange ended up here because I was out of lemons, and it was a delightful surprise!
Great combination of the summer harvest. And once again… you are so creative!
Thank you Nancy! You are always so kind with your praise!
I usually use Swiss Chard in bakes, mostly with cheeses. This is such a nice alternative, and great use of fresh corn, which, sadly, is almost gone around here by now.
We’ve had just enough rain here to keep it going, but a little south in Massachusetts has not been so lucky this year.
Looks delicious!
Thank you! It was really tasty, especially the next day for lunch!
What a beautiful, healthy and nutritious dish! Sadly I can’t find Swiss chard here! Oh, how much I miss my garden ☺️
Thanks Ribana! Can you get beets with their greens? The beets are cousins of chard and have a similar flavor.
Nope, and the beets I find them “fresh” are not really fresh 😓 the disadvantages of importing everything 😬
I love chard every which way, and the little twist of orange here must give it a nice brightness. And I’m with you, Dorothy… bring on autumn!
Thanks Terrie! I normally would have used lemon, but I was out, and there was this lonely little orange in the drawer!
This sounds wonderful Dorothy, I need to cook with Swiss chard more often!
Thank you Jenna! It is such a hearty green, but not fibrous like some others. A sweet and delicious flavor.
Swiss chard is one of my favorite vegetables and I love that you added beans and corn.
Thanks Jovina! It really added nice texture and flavor.
Macadamia nuts! I never think of them and I can imagine how delicious they’d be in this recipe.
I forget about them for pretty long periods too, but they just jumped into my basket the other day!
M-M-M-M Good!
T H A N K Y O U !!!
I definitely need to eat more greens and beans, since they’re so good for you, so this is a perfect dish for me to try! 🙂
It’s a perfect nutritional duo, and really tasty!
Much appreciated!!!!💕
Chard is difficult to find here (well I actually mean back home in the Netherlands, because I’m typing this on a beach on the Amalfi coast where chard is probably easy to find). For some reason it went out of fashion 50 or so years ago, and unlike other ‘forgotten vegetables’ like parsnips, has not yet made a comeback.
Well, since kale made a great comeback Stefan, maybe Swiss chard is next! Parsnips are terribly popular here either, but they grow easily in the north and we find them in abundance in our winter CSA!
Kale has never left in the Netherlands, but it is eaten boiled with potatoes and mashed.
That sounds lovely! My mom used to do the same with Swiss chard, and she added carrots. We loved it!
Looks so delicious 🤤
Thank you! It’s quite tasty!
Thank you so much! A favorite here.
Swiss chard is such a lovely vegetable and as you say it keeps giving..a lovely combination of flavours you have here, Dorothy I can taste them..Lovely 🙂 x
This is one of our favorites, and if I’m lucky, I’ll have chard all the way through snow!
Yummy… very nice too, Dorothy 😊 x