Swiss Chard

Swiss chard is a type of beet and has the wonderfully economic virtue of being two vegetables in one: the dark-green leaves and the juicy white stalks, or ribs. Cook the leaves in the same way as spinach. The sweeter, more delicate-tasting ribs can be steamed or poached and served with melted butter or a sauce. When buying chard, look for crisp leaves and firm stalks without any brown patches. Store, well wrapped, in the fridge for up to two days. To prepare, strip off the leaves from the stalks and wash well; trim the stalks and peel off any stringy parts, as for celery. Recently rhubarb (or ruby) chard has started appearing in the shops. Its deep-red stalks make a dramatic impact but the taste is not very different from the green variety.