Produce Briefs...
Mangosteen
The Purple mangosteen, botanical name Garcinia magostana, simply referred to as mangosteen, is an ultra-tropical slow growing evergreen tree that is cultivated for its edible fruit.
Iceberg Lettuce
It is the only lettuce type that does not occur in red form as well as green. Iceberg is the given name to dozens of cultivars of lettuce, all of which are adapted to specific planting regions and time periods.
Seasons/Availability
Baby Red Swiss chard is available year round.
Current Facts
Baby Red Swiss chard contains Betalain pigments, which are found in the plant's stalks and leaves. These pigments are responsible for the plant's vivid red colorings. They are also a vital utility for the plant's survival, attracting bees and insects for pollination while also providing natural UV protection. The plant also carries traces of geosmin, which is a volatile molecule displaying a wet-earth and woody aroma. Young immature plants carry less powerful geosmin aromatics as less contact with the earth may be directly related to the geosmin presence.
Description/Taste
Baby Red Swiss Chard are the delicate leaves of a young immature chard plant. Less is more in the case of Baby Red Swiss chard. The leaves are more delicate and more sweet than their mature counterparts. They lack the developed bitterness and earthiness that makes chard varieties unfavorable to many palates. The leaves resemble spinach leaves with red branched veins and thin delicate stems. The flavor is mild, spinach-like and slightly earthy.
Nutritional Value
Chard is known to be a nutritional powerhouse vegetable packed with vitamins, nutrients and health benefits. Red Swiss chard contains high levels of vitamins C, K, E, beta-carotene, calcium and the minerals manganese and zinc. As noted, it also contains betalain. Betalin pigments have repeatedly been shown to support activity within the body's detoxification process, activating and processing unwanted toxic substances. Betalians are not heat-stable, though, so longer cooking times can decrease their presence.
Applications
Baby Red Swiss chard can be used in any recipe calling for spinach or kale. It can be utilized both raw and cooked. It is often found in salad mixes and braising green mixes with other greens such as mustard, arugula, chicories, spinach, red and green lettuces. Salad mixes are the perfect opportunity to showcase Baby Red Swiss chard's texture and flavor alongside other varying flavors and textures. Baby Red Swiss chard can be wilted, roasted, fried, dehydrated, grilled and juiced. It pairs well with rich ingredients such as pork, cream, melting, aged and blue cheeses, butter, eggs, olive oil avocados and nuts. Other companion ingredients include citrus, mango, chiles, garlic, shelling beans, farro, sausages, bacon, mushrooms, ginger, fennel, shallots and light-bodied vinegars.
Geography/History
As its genus, Beta vulgaris, suggests, chard is, in fact, a beet that has been chosen for leaf production at the expense of root formation. All chard varieties are descendents of the sea beet (B. maritima), a wild seashore plant found growing along the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts of Europe and North Africa. Red Swiss chard varieties were already being cultivated as a leaf vegetable in Greece circa 400 B.C. Through mutation, varieties have been developed with widened leaf stalks, milder flavor, soil adaptability and disease resistance.
Featured Restaurants
Restaurants currently purchasing this product as an ingredient for their menu.
| The Bier Garden | Encinitas CA | 760-632-2437 |
| Bo Beau Kitchen & Bar | San Diego CA | 619-224-2884 |
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Baby Red Swiss Chard. One
is easiest, three is harder.| Food.com |
|
Baby Swiss Chard With Bacon, Pine Nuts and Raisins |
| Cooking 4 the Week |
|
Pickled Swiss Chard Stems |
| Modern Beet |
|
Swiss Chard with Indian Lime Pickle |
