There are so many things I’d never touch even with a 10ft pole as a child, but I find myself having cravings for the very same things as I grew older. Fish, Fried Ochro, Pumpkin, Water Cress and any of the more stronger tasting greens like Chorai. But I’ve always been a huge fan of dasheen bush baggie (sp) and due to necessity, I’ve grown very fond of Swiss Card. To this day I still won’t touch “Caraili” or in most cases cooked goat. I can only imagine how dificult it was for my mom having to cook to please the appetite of 4 children. It’s a good thing both my mom and dad never made a fuss about food.
Every spring one of the first plants to hit the dirt in our small backyard garden is Swiss Chard. I usually go overboard by planting too much and end up having more than I could possibly cook in one season. At least Caron’s friend’s mom loves the stuff and accepts the extras without any force 🙂
You’ll need…
1 bundle Swiss Chard (wash and cut – see image below)
1 chili pepper (optional)
2 tablespoon coconut cream (optional)
Salt * Only if you don’t use the salted cod.
dash black pepper
1 medium onion diced
2 cloves garlic crushed/sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
3-4 tablespoon salted cod (optional) * please excuse my measurement.. I didn’t know how else to explain this.
Start by washing each leaf of the chard under running water. The chard we get here in Canada seems to have been grown in sandy soil, so washing is very important. Cut out the tips of the stalk (area that may be brown or discolored) but don’t remove all the white stem..we’ll be using that as well. Grab a few leaves and wrap them tightly, then with a sharp knife on a cutting board, start slicing into thin strips.
After you’ve sliced the entire bundle of Chard, place in a drainer and run cold water over it again to ensure any sand/dirt is completely removed.
Peel and sliced the garlic and onion, as well as the chili pepper.
I usually soak the piece of salted cod in hot water for about 10 minutes, then I strip into pieces.
Heat the olive oil in a sauce pan under med-high heat. Then add the strips of salted cod and allow to cook from about 3 minutes. Then add the onion, garlic and chili. Allow this to cook until it starts going golden brown (about 3-5minutes).
At this point you can start adding the sliced Swiss chard to the pot. It will pile up quite a bit, but as it cooks, it will decrease in size. Keep adding as it goes down in size. Then cover the pot and allow to cook on a low heat. it will release it’s own natural juices. Don’t forget to add a dash of black pepper.
After about 15 minutes or so, add the coconut cream and stir everything around so the cream gets to flavor everything. Continue cooking for another 5-10 minutes (until all the liquid dries up and everything starts to melt). You may prefer to keep things a bit more crunchy (like a stir fry). The choice is yours… just control the cooking time.
* Salt – since I added the salted codfish, there will be no need for adding additional salt. However if you choose not to use the fish, please taste and add salt as to your liking. The coconut cream (milk) is also optional, but I find that it really enhances the dish so I do recommend that you do use it.
I’d love to hear from you. please leave me your comments in the box below or send me a message by clicking on the contact link above.
I see you have used similar recipes for spinach, callaloo and swiss chard. Do you recommend using all three as appose to one?
you can try cooking chard with small piece of pork. we usually do that in Trinidad.
you get chard in Trinidad? I know about pak choi and stewed pork .. never seen chard on sale there.
Ive done this before here in Trinidad but with patchoi. Taste great!
I’m definitely going to try this recipe tonight for dinner
Hi Chris..,….can fresh spinach be used instead of swiss chard? Love your recipes e,specially anything with salted cod……I can eat it as im soaking it……yummy!
Definetly – I think I may have shared that version on here already. but, yes.. rock the spinach.
What you call chard we call pachoi and I love it,love this recipe.
Chris, Thank you I have not had Swiss Chard since I was a young girl. It took me back. My family enjoy it as well and they eat nothing GREEN. This they enjoy. Please keep the recipes coming.
Must try this!
If you live europe Swiss chard can also be called Mangold how are close relative.
Coconut bake with this concoction is truly great
One handy ingredient I use in a lot of recipes asking for salt is fish sauce. Adds a robust salty flavor. I also use it in my homemade Sriracha (gotta use up that hot pepper harvest)
Hi Chris:
I have made something similar to this recipe, but I never used the salted cod fish, neither the coconut, but I will try this, because it sounds tasty and wonderful. With some recently cooked white rice, it should be appetizing and scromptious! Thank you for your recipes!
Jean Gordon
Oh, YUMMY! I have GOT to try this!
hello chris,this is a nice dish.i´m from the republic of panama, and growup in the country, and i notice almost all the stuff you talk about we have then here also just that different name.i love your recipes and had used them, but my wife dont go with me she is not a west indian she a panamanian latin and they cook different us..have a nice day chris and keepup the good work i am happy with it..
Will really look forward to cooking this dish, it looks and sounds wonderful!
In Trinidad we call it patchoi and we use salt fish and some rice-I know it will taste great
This isn’t pak choi, this is swiss chard. though they look the same, I assure you it isn’t
I love your recipes. This Swiss Chard with Cod would have gone well with Coconut Bake or Boiled Cassava
Sunday was a west indian day in my house.Came across your recipe but had planned to do salt fish fritters have seen yours I went for it I was just great.Instead of Chad I used savoy cabbage it worked just as good.I have tried all of your recipes and can say one thing all GOOD.
Thanks Chris.
From a British St. Lucian.
Ps. Do you have any St. Lucian recipes you can pass on???????.
Dear Chris, I Donna like all your recipes. Thank you.
I like Swiss Chard and Salt Fish and Bakes.
Love and Prayers
Donna
Thanks Chris, its my first time hearing about swisss chard, will try to find it here in UK. I’ve done the spicy salad, and it was a winner. Thanks again for these lovely recipes.
God bless
I agree, dasheen bush is the best!! Thanks Cris for all the wonderful recipies,you make it easy for me to try.Happy New Year to you and family.
That Swiss chard looks like patchoi, I have done that recipe before and man you’re right it does taste great.
hey Chris- i will certainly try this dish-it looks so much like patchoi and i love it with saltfish-today i will definately try it and the children will love it all-i just hope i win the lovely cookbook you have-lots of love-i try your recipes and enjoy it all-
I have done this recipe before, but used calaloo instead, is swiss chard the same?
Good stuff as usual. I find your posts very enjoyable. Thanks
Chris, chard is so good. Great for the vegetarian/ vegans too. Growing up, mommy used to use left over baked chicken with it. We all know how good chicken is the next day. .. Yum!
Thanks
Thanks for that recipe, think I'll try that today.
Outstanding news it is without doubt. My teacher has been searching for this tips.
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Hi Chris…Firstly, thanks for your newsletter and recipes. I always look forward to getting and saving them. I have tried quite a few and they turned out to be quite excellent. I cook quite often, and although I make some of these dishes, repeatability is a factor as I learnt most of these from my mother where "a dash of this, or a handful of that" was her method. Multiply the required servings and I am in trouble..!!!!
Do you know the hot saurces (and variations) that the oyster vendors use around the savannah ? I would really like to see recipes for these in a future issue. Thanks and keep up the good work.
Hi Chris – I'm having a small gathering around my house and I am hoping to serve some finger foods, do you have a good salt fish cake / fritter recipes? Thanks
I viewed the site you included to show the difference between patchoi and swiss chard, that swiss chard can be very colourful. Hate to sound like a broken record, but these two vegetables are too similar to be true, they must be related. How fortunate for us, that you submit photographs so we can see how wrong we are. It's all in the process of learning from the master. Thanks Chris.
looks good maybe taste good too__
Hi Chris.
It looks good and tasty. Down-Under in (NZ) we call Chard "Silver Beet" can also get it with a purple stem. Taste the same. Only thing is we cannot get the salted cod which I miss so much for fish cakes. I dont know of any where that stocks it. Maybe I will use something else in its place. Thanks . I will give it a try with some other fish.
Believe it or not I first came across this recipe in Englands 'Daily Mail' A right wing English newspaper over 15 years ago. though that recipe included Chick Peas as well
i never knew about salted cod, I usually add shrimp. I have to try it with cod. Sounds good too.
I'd love to try this recipe as I love swiss chard and have grown tired of my own way of making it. I especially like the idea of adding peppers and salt fish (not something I'd thought of). But I'm wondering with all of these wonderful recipes, is there a way to get the nutritional content…I'm afraid I have to keep track of these things since having my children (and being Trini, I know our food can add pounds). Just wondering if after each recipe you can list the serv. suggestion, and the calories, protein, fat, carbs etc…per serv.
Thanks!
Good lawd!
In Jamaica we call this Pakchow and saltfish and its a regular at most breakfast tables. We also substitute the Pakchow with Callaloo or white cabbage. Try putting some chicken bouillon in the pot just before completion…mmm good!
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I am really pleasedto see you know your stuff also great valueable post for your readers, I have sent this post to my
facebook accounts.
We call this patchoi in Trinidad. It can be put in stew chicken when the chicken is simmering down, you throw it in for about five minutes then take it off. It tastes great.
Swiss Chard looks a lot like patchoi, don’t you think? I’ll have to try this with that. Dasheen bush is what we also call Callaloo bush.
Wendy great to have you here and commenting.
happy cooking
chris…
It looks alot like pak choi for real.
I LIKE THIS DISH TOOO BAAAAD. HOWEVER, I CAL IT PATCHOI & SALTFISH
Thanks for taking the time to comment, see my comment of this and “patchoi”. It’s a different type of greens (baggie).
It is patchoi we call it in Trinidad
Gemma, thanks for taking the time to comment. Though very similar, the Swiss Chard is not the same as the patchoi found in Trinidad or elsewhere. Check out the pics in these two links:
Swiss Chard: http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=swiss… Also notice the different colours (varieties)
Here's the link with pic's of the "patchoi" we have in TnT : http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&rlz=1B3… By the way, you'll be amazed and the many varieties that can be found at Asian markets.
happy cooking
Chris…
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Chris thanks for the info…….I'm from Trinidad in my 40yrs I have never heard of Swiss Chard; I love pakchoi can't wait to go to try this and try it…ummm
Cynthia, yes some dhal would be great indeed. Janice, good luck and do let me know if you have any questions about any of the recipes here. Lucille, yes it’s very similar in texture and look as pakchoi, but you’ll find that it can be a bit “bitter” (not sure if that’s the correct word to use). And can be prepared the same way you would prepare the pakchoi.
happy cooking
chris
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Looks like pokchoy which I grow here in the Caribbean. Is it the same?
Thank you so much for your recipes, I am now able to extend my Trini dishes. Just bought some salted pigtails so will be looking up one of your recepies. Best wishes.
All we need now is some dhal!
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Peter and Fearless, thanks for leaving your comments. This chard dish is even better, if near the end you add a couple tablespoons of coconut milk.
This looks great. I’ve been getting more and more into chard lately – this is something new to try with it!
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so good I love salt fish and also chard,mmmmmmmmm thx 🙂
Peter Thomas’s last blog post..Swiss chard with an inkling of salted cod and garlic.