The garden and farmstands often tell me what to make for dinner. Sometimes, it is about using whatever is coming in fast and furious, but right now, even though prolific, I’m giving the cherry tomatoes a break. Swiss chard is abundant right now in my garden, and in all the tables at the farmers market. Stems and leaves of every color and size, and they are delicious. Often, I pair them with beans, toss them in a stir-fry, soup or stew, or just a quick sauté with some garlic.
Easy to grow
There was always chard in the garden when I was growing up, my mother’s favorite green, and I’ve grown it in my own garden as well. Swiss chard is one of those greens that is packed with nutrition and flavor, and it is one of the easiest to grow. If you are just starting out gardening, this is the green to try. It grows in all types of soils, is not finicky about water, and will even thrive if the plants around it are blocking its light. Best of all, the more you cut, the more it grows and fills in (harvest the larger leaves and the smaller ones will thrive), so you can enjoy it all summer and well after frost. Some say it actually tastes better after a couple of light frosts. One year, I grew one row covered with a cold frame and picked it fresh for the Thanksgiving table. While slugs do like to nibble on the leaves, the biggest pest I’ve had with chard has been deer, but with my fenced-in yard and raised garden beds here, it doesn’t seem to be a problem.
Move over kale
It gets better, so kale move out of the spotlight please. One cup steamed has about 35 calories, 7 carbs, 3.5 grams of protein, 4 grams of fiber, supplies nearly all your Vitamin A, almost 500% of Vitamin K, and is a good source of Vitamins C and E, calcium, a fourth of your day’s iron, manganese, copper, and potassium. It is full of antioxidants, polyphenols, is anti-inflammatory and may help in warding off cancer, heart disease, and high blood pressure. That’s a lot from this hardy little plant, and in my book tastes better than kale.
Let the vegetables create the dish
I had some time in the kitchen to myself and so I put on some beautiful flute music and surveyed my vegetable stash, hoping for some inspiration to accompany my piece of lovely New England cod. Lots of chard, some fresh sweet corn which is still going strong, onion and garlic from the farm stand. I decided to wrap the cod in the leaves and make a bed of the rest of the veggies. I’ve used this technique before and it always results in a moist fish.
Simple and only one pot!
It looks like it takes a lot of effort, all this wrapping business, but this recipe is actually quite quick to make even on a weeknight, and it uses only one pan, always a plus. You’ll steam the leaves, sauté the vegetables, and make the sauce all in the same pan. Every bit of the chard is used, even the liquid the vegetables steam and cook in. Quick and simple, nutritious, but it is fancy enough for company as well. If you are making this for company, you can prep everything ahead of time, sauté the vegetables, and when guests arrive, reheat the veggies and cook the fish and you’ll have dinner on the table in 15 minutes from start to finish. However, it’s more fun to just cook with your guests.
And for the vegetarians
This is as delicious using tofu as the fish, so my vegetarian friends can be happy as well. Just make sure to press the excess water out of the tofu and season it well before wrapping.
Now, let’s make some tasty little parcels!
Swiss Chard Wrapped Cod or Tofu with Late Summer Vegetables
- 1 lb. or so cod or halibut(mine actually weighed about 1.25 lb.), or one pkg. firm tofu, smoked if available
- 1 bunch Swiss chard, stems and all
- 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, sliced, or one large leek
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 heaping cup fresh corn kernels from 1 or 2 ear, or use frozen
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika, plus some for fish or tofu
- 1/3 cup black olives, rough chop
- Juice and zest from a lemon, plus another for serving
Prep the fish. Portion it into about quarter lb. pieces. If you have a thin end as I did, just tuck it under itself and double up so it will cook at the same rate as the rest. Season both sides with salt and pepper, and sprinkle lightly with smoked paprika, hot or sweet, your choice. If using tofu, press excess water out first – place on a towel lined plate, cover with another plate, and weigh down with a pan or can of beans or tomatoes. Let this press for 15 minutes or so, then cut into desired portions. If using smoked tofu, you probably won’t need this step.
Cut the stems off the chard, dice them up, and set them aside. Pick out your best leaves and remove any tough ribs. Cut the leaves in half lengthwise. Slice your onions, mince your garlic, and remove corn from the fresh cob.
Place a 12” skillet over high heat, add a half cup of water and the halved leaves. Cover and let steam for about a minute, just until the leaves are bendable. Remove with tongs to a colander (save that water for later!) and run some cold water over the leaves to set the color and stop cooking. Gently place the leaves on a towel to drain.
Add a bit more water to the pan and cook any additional leaves, also for about a minute. Pour the steaming water into a bowl or measuring cup to save for later, and cool down these extra leaves as above, then chop and set aside.
Make the bundles. Take two or three chard leaves and overlap them like shingles. Place a piece of fish or tofu in the center and gently wrap, sort of like a burrito.
Now it goes fast.
Using the same pan you steamed the chard in, add the olive oil and warm, tossing in the onions and chard stems. Let cook for a few minutes over medium high, until the onions soften but do not take on color. Add the garlic, corn, reserved cut-up leaves, Italian seasoning, paprika, olives, and reserved steaming water. Bring to a simmer, then nestle your little chard bundles in the pan. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and let cook about 10 to 15 minutes, or until a sharp knife inserted meets no resistance.
When ready, gently lift out the cod to a plate. Add the lemon juice and zest to the vegetables and place them in a deep platter with a slotted spoon, leaving the juice in the pan.
Add the fish back to the top of the veggies and finish with a bit more salt and pepper. You can stop right here, or make a quick pan sauce with the cooking juices, more flavor an nutrition saved!
Place the pan with its juices back on the burner and bring to a boil. Whisk a teaspoon of cornstarch into a quarter cup of cold water and whisk that into the boiling juices until it thickens. You’ll have a sauce in about 20 seconds. Really, it’s that fast.
Garnish with lemon slices.
Copyright 2024– or current year, The New Vintage Kitchen. Dorothy Grover-Read. Unattributed use of this material and photographs is strictly prohibited. Reposting and links may be used, provided that credit is given to The New Vintage Kitchen, with active link and direction to this original post.
The New Vintage Kitchen does not accept ads or payment for mention of products or businesses.
Supporter of: Slow Food Fair Trade USA Northeast Organic Farmers Association EcoWatch Let’s Save Our Planet No Kid Hungry Hunger Free Vermont Environmental Working Group World Central Kitchen Sustainable America Seed Savers Exchange Save the Children Vermont Farm to Plate
What a delicious use of chard and cod. I see you cut the chard leaves in half. Do you leave the center rib intact or remove?
I just cut out the toughest part of the bottom right, sometimes this is so much you end up either a weird shape, so it just seems easier to have long similar pieces to overlap.
Cod is delicious, that’s for sure. 🍃🐟
And it loves being all bundled up!
Cod …. Not just for fishcakes anymore! This dish is mouth-watering, D! I’m not sure why this is but since my surgery I have been craving fish. Now I have another wonderful recipe to satisfy my cravings!
Love that you are craving fish, but I guess it is protein so it makes sense. And the Swiss chard here is great in healing.
A winner all around!
What a wonderful way to use Swiss Chard, I need to cook with it more often!
Jenna
It’s so good for you, and one of the easiest vegetables to grow. It’s also really pretty!
Delish! Your combinations are always inspiring. A shepherd’s pie is what comes to my mind. I think I’ll bake one New England’s style. Wishing you a sunny day!
Well, you will need lots of mashed potatoes to top that pie my friend! Always a favorite around here.
I love everything in this dish and will make it with cod sometimes and tofu the other times. Thank you for sharing your creations, Dorothy.
Thanks for stopping by Mary!
I love when the ingredients tell us what they want to be. Wrapping the fish and tofu keeps it really moist, and gives lots of flavor.
Mmmm! Mmmmm!
Looks like such a delightful meal. I enjoy Cod and Chard, so this is right up my alley!
Thank you for yet another inspirational post!
Yes! Yes!
Looks great! Thank you for adding the details about tofu. I’d love to try this…if I can find chard!
If not, you could use another green. Spinach would be tasty, just steam the leaves only for a few seconds or they might be too tender to work with.
We have a lot of chard atm so this is ideal and cod is one of my favourite fish it looks and sounds delicoius, Dorothy 🙂 x
It was really satisfying and delicious Carol, and it pleased the husband as well!
Thats a bonus in my book …lol
Gosh, that looks good! And what a powerhouse chard is.
It’s so good for us Laurie, and it’s so darn easy to grow, I don’t think it is even out of place in a perennial border!
I’m all for chard, stems included, so I’m definitely hooked! Love how you’ve used the leaves with the fish, to keep it moist, and at the same time add their flavor to it. Brilliant! 🙂
It was extremely moist and flaked apart, the flavor really satisfying.
We love cod! Nice to have a new recipe
Thanks! It’s a versatile fish, and we love it.
Thank you for another nutritional powerhouse recipe with all of the ingredients that I love!
Glad you stopped by! This one makes me feel healthier just looking at it!
I only discovered Swiss Chard about 7 years ago and I love it. This looks very good Dorothy!
Thanks Diane! It’s such a hardy and hearty green!
I’ve just harvested some Swiss chard, this will be a good recipe to put it to use 🙂
Wonderful! I hope you enjoy this as much as we do.
You’ve convinced me. I’m going to have to look for Swiss chard the next time I go to the farmers’ market. It’s a vegetable that I seldom use–and I’m clearly missing out on something that’s tasty and nutritious.
Wonderful! If you like other greens, you will certainly like this one.
Would you believe I’ve never had chard! I see it in the grocery occasionally but have never bought it. I like this recipe so now I have no excuse not to try it.
Wow! I guess we had so much of it growing up, like spinach, I thought everyone had these greens on the table! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do, I like the flavor better than cooked spinach, and I love using the stems in whatever else I’m cooking.
Yes, get every last bit of flavor out of those lemons! I love Swiss chard, but I’ve only cooked it as a side dish, simmered in chile pepper-infused coconut milk. It never crossed my mind to wrap fish in it; what a terrific idea!
Thank you! I’ve also used beet greens to wrap the fish, really tasty as well!
The Swiss chard goes well with the cod and the addition of veggies is perfect!
Thank you so much. They were all delicious together!
An interesting combination and super delicious 😋
Thank you. We really loved this one, and it was fun to make.
An excellent and very creative way to use chard leaves.
Thanks Kevin! It was fun too!