Blanch and Squeeze

Spinach and very tender young chard don’t need blanching, but it’s a good technique to use for most chard. Blanch the stems in boiling water for 6–10 minutes, until tender, adding the leaves for the last 2–3 minutes or blanching them separately. Lift out the chard with a spider strainer or slotted spoon and plunge it into very cold water to cool, then drain. This stops it cooking further and fixes the colour. Give the leaves a squeeze to remove excess water then try using it in one of the following ways: