This Swiss chard stems recipe will turn your discards into the most exciting side dish with a little white sauce, cheese and breadcrumbs! Don’t throw those stems away!
This side dish is so delicious, you’ll be buying this green leafy veg just to be able to use the Swiss chard stems!
Nonno (my grandfather) would be proud of me for sharing this recipe. Growing up in Italy and living through two World Wars, he made sure we recycled and reused everything, including water we used to wash our hands.
Before I get to the recipe, though, I must apologize for my absence because I haven’t posted here for almost the entire month of May.
If you happen to follow me on any social media, you will already know the reason for my online disappearance. Not only did we go to Washington DC in the middle of May for my son’s college graduation celebrations (I did post about getting struck in Charlotte on our way back), but my daugher just graduated from high school two days ago. Family flew in and we had a party for her. In essence, I have just been swamped with all of these (wonderful) family events.
Fortunately, all the occasions have been happy ones and there are more ahead: my son will turn 21 next week and later this month will be my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary! Our 25th is coming up and my daughter will turn 18 later this year: can you imagine so many milestones in one year?
Cheesy Swiss Chard Stems with a Crunchy Breadcrumb Topping Recipe
recipe by Lidia Conte makes 6 servings
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
!For the white sauce
- butter
- all purpose flour or gluten free flour
- milk
- provolone cheese
- sea salt
- black or white pepper, to taste
- ground nutmeg
! For the breadcrumb topping
- butter
- homemade breadcrumbs or Panko-style breadcrumbs
- Pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
If you haven’t used the leaves of the Swiss chard yet, tear the leaf away from the stem. It will tear away very easily and there’s no need to use a knife.
Chop the Swiss chard stems into bite sized pieces on a cutting board with a sharp knife.
In a medium sized pot, heat a little water in the bottom of the pot until boiling, then add the pieces of chard stem and close the pot with the lid. Allow to cook for about 15 minutes or until tender (make sure the water doesn’t completely evaporate;add more if needed), then drain well, place in an ovenproof dish and sprinkle with a little sea salt.
Make the Provolone Cheese Sauce
Make the béchamel sauce, by melting the tablespoon of butter in a small pot, then adding the flour and stirring for a few minutes over medium high heat.
Begin adding the milk, a little at a time, increasing the amount of milk each time until a smooth and creamy consistency is reached (you can find more detailed directions here). Add the provolone and stir until melted; add the salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. Using freshly ground nutmeg is best (using a nutmeg mill).
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).