Chard belongs to the same family as beets and spinach and shares a similar taste profile: it has the bitterness of beet greens and the slightly salty flavor of spinach leaves. Despite the American preference for eating only the leaves, both the leaves and stalk of chard are edible. Chard has a thick, crunchy stalk to which fan-like wide green leaves are attached. The leaves may either be smooth or curly, depending upon the variety, and feature lighter-colored ribs running throughout. The stalk can measure almost two feet in length and comes in three colors: white, red and yellow.

Selection:  Select wide-stalked bunches with firm, bright leaves. They should not be soggy or yellowed.

Storage: Chard and other leafy vegetables are adversely affected by ethylene gas, which causes a loss of chlorophyll and protein and may hasten drying and decay. Do not store near climacteric fruits (ones which continue to ripen), such as apple, avocado, banana, peach, pear, plum, tomato and most tropical fruits. Wrapped in perforated plastic and kept in the coolest part of the refrigerator, chard will remain fresh for 2-3 days at most. Stalks separated from leaves keep a few days more.

Preparation: Remove any dried, slippery or yellow leaves. Wash thoroughly. Unless chard is baby-size, slice leaves from stalks by running a knife along the stalk held with the curled edges of the leaf upturned or snip with scissors to neatly trip the fine upper midrib. If stalks are unusually heavy, zip off strings as you would from celery. If stalks are wider than 1 inch, halve lengthwise, trim bases then slice to suit the recipe.

Use: Tiny white or ruby chard leaves contribute color, texture and earthy flavor to mixed salads—in moderation. The mature silvery-stalked varieties are best cooked. Cook stems until nearly done, then add leaves and continue cooking by steaming, sautéing or boiling (do not microwave). For small to medium chard, steam and sauté to produce the fullest flavor. For larger chard, boil in salted water and lemon juice. Serve chard alone or with other vegetables, hot, at room temperature, or chilled with a squeeze of lemon or balsamic vinegar and a touch of oil.

Quick serving ideas:  Wrap lightly steamed Swiss chard leaves around vegetable and grain salad and roll into a neat little package. Bake in a medium-heat oven and enjoy this nutrient-superstar alternative to stuffed cabbage. Toss penne pasta with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and chopped steamed Swiss chard. Add zest to omelets and frittatas by adding some steamed Swiss chard. Use chard in place of or in addition to spinach when preparing vegetarian lasagna or whenever spinach is suggested.