Five Color Silverbeet Swiss Chard

[Gifted Gourmet]

photograph and information on swiss chard

Thompson & Morgan offered Rainbow Chard from 1970 through 1989 and then dropped the variety after the number of colors began to decrease. After years of searching, SSE discovered that our friends at Digger's Garden Club in Australia have been offering the true Five Color Silverbeet for a decade. Spectacular range of colors throughout the entire season.

Has anyone here ever had this type of Swiss chard?

Is it going to hold some of the colors when cooked?

[purplewiz]

Has anyone here ever had this type of Swiss chard?

Is it going to hold some of the colors when cooked?

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I've had rainbow chard before, and like red chard, the color gets somewhat less intense after cooking, but it was easy to tell the yellow from the white from the red from the pink.

But that photograph looks color enhanced to me.

Marcia.

[Gifted Gourmet]

But that photograph looks color enhanced to me.

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How dare they? Next thing you know they will say that there is no Easter Bunny ...

another colorful swiss chard from a different company

[jackal10]

I' mot sure about the origianl statement that T&M no longer offer rainbow chard. They, and many other seed companies offer "Bright Lights" chard http://seeds.thompson-morgan.com/uk/en/product/45/2

I grow it, and very good it is too. Overwinters well. Really does grow the colours in the photo.

Edited February 20, 2006 by jackal10 (log)

[Adam Balic]

Swiss chard is the same species as beetroot (and sugar beet for that matter) and a lot of the colour variations have been obtained by crossing regular chard with beetroot. So there tends to be some variation in the qualtity of the stems in comparision to the White strains and the leaves can be slightly more tough.

I prefer the white types as they tend to be sold in better condition then the coloured types, however if you grew your own this would obviously not be a problem

[eje]

I usually stick with the dark red stemmed chard, as it seems to have the strongest flavor. Chard grows into 4' tall monster plants in our cool climate and is available just about year round. Quality isn't usually a problem at the various farmers' markets.

Whatever you do, be sure and eat the stems as well as the leaves! They are the tastiest part.

Recent article Article on Bright Lights Chard from the San Francisco Chronicle.

For an Italian dish, add a minced garlic clove, saute for 30 seconds, add salt and pepper to taste, a squeeze of lemon and a tablespoon or two of dry roasted pine nuts.

This how I usually prepare it, though, I add a pinch of pepper flakes and an anchovy filet or two.

This somewhat unusual pasta recipe from the Chronicle can also be very tasty with Chard and/or Beet Greens.

[maggiethecat]

I grow "Bright Lights" as an ornamental in the flowerbed -- I grow tomatoes and brussel sprouts as ornamentals too. I think they're pretty!

"Bright Lights" very tasty and dependable, and the yellow, pink, orange and white hues remain distinctive when cooked, though, as noted upthread, slightly subdued.

[purplewiz]

I prefer the white types as they tend to be sold in better condition then the coloured types, however if you grew your own this would obviously not be a problem

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Have you seen any of the white types around lately? I realized about a week ago that I hadn't seen any regular old white Swiss Chard around anywhere and wondered if there was a crop failure. Plenty of red chard, though. And it just occurred to me that I haven't seen any rainbow chard, either.

I'd love to grow it here, but as I found out last year, deer prefer it even over lettuces .

One of my favorite preparations for chard of any color is "alfredo": separate stems from leaves, chop the stems, steam the stems until almost tender, slice the leaves, add them and steam until tender. Drain well. Add a couple tbsp of cream, bring to a simmer, remove from heat, add parmesan. It's like stained glass when you do it with rainbow chard.

Marcia.

[sazji]

Seed Savers' Exchange has the original item. There seems to be a problem that the rainbow chard from many companies has interbred so you only get red, orange and maybe some yellow. The pink and the darker mauve one tend to cancel out. Seed Savers grows the five varieties separately. It's a great combination of ornament and flavor in the garden.

My favorite eating one however (besides the wild one that grows like a weed here) is the local large flat-leaf variety. It's preferred here also because they make sarma /dolma with it.

[jgm]

I've never had or cooked chard, so I don't know what to expect from it, flavor-wise. It's definitely on my list of things to try this spring, however.

What entrees do you serve it with? I need some guidance about what kinds of foods it does and does not pair well with.

[Gifted Gourmet]

I've never had or cooked chard, so I don't know what to expect from it, flavor-wise.  It's definitely on my list of things to try this spring, however.

What entrees do you serve it with?  I need some guidance about what kinds of foods it does and does not pair well with.

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appears to be good with and in everything!

As soup, sides, main dishes ... everything but dessert!

[jgm]

Everything on that list sounds so good! Thanks!

[eje]

I've never had or cooked chard, so I don't know what to expect from it, flavor-wise.  It's definitely on my list of things to try this spring, however.

What entrees do you serve it with?  I need some guidance about what kinds of foods it does and does not pair well with.

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It's in the same plant family with spinach and beets (Goosefoot or Chenopodiaceae). It is sort of half way between these two. Milder than beets; but, sweeter and more flavorful than spinach.

To me, chard really represents the idea of Agridulce, the sweet sour flavors. If you don't like that sort of thing, you won't like chard.

One note, if your family is prone to kidney stones, some people think that this family of plants, with their high levels of Calcium Oxalate, can be a bad idea.