White Chard Stew

What can I say about this incredible stew that contains 8 different vegetables & is simply divine! Each year I grow white chard in my vegetable garden & the harvest is usually bountifully, allowing me to parboil & freeze enough to last me the next 6 months. At the same time, I try to eat as much fresh chard as I can, & am always looking for new ways to prepare it, from gratins to simply frying in butter with a squeeze of lemon juice. However, this remains my favourite recipe. Serve with some rustic, buttered bread & you have the perfect autumn meal! For the vegan version, simply replace the bacon lardons with a vegan option or a finely chopped onion.

4 Servings

Ingredients:

150gr bacon lardons

2 carrots, peeled & finely sliced

1 stalk of celery, cut into 4cm pieces

1.5 litres of vegetable stock

2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped

1/2 tsp pepper

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

3 stalks of white chard (roughly 400gr)

200gr butternut squash, cut into bite sized cubes

200gr potatoes, cut into bite sized cubes

400gr tinned white beans (250gr drained)

Instructions:

To begin, you should separate the white chard stalks from the green leaves as each requires a very different amount of cooking time.

Once separated, roughly chop the leafy green part & slice the chard, the stalks into 2cm pieces. Set aside.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a casserole dish on medium low heat & add the bacon lardons.

Fry for 3 minutes until slightly crispy & then add the celery, carrots, chard stalks (only the white part, not the green leaves) & vegetable stock.

Bring to a simmer then add the garlic, pepper, vinegar & allow to cook, covered, on medium low heat for 15 minutes.

Add the butternut squash & potatoes. Bring to a simmer & cook, covered, a further 15 minutes.

Add chard leaves & beans. Simmer a further 2-3 minutes until leafy greens have wilted.

Adjust the seasoning if needed.

Enjoy!