When I realized that people other than my family were actually reading my posts, I thought, “crap…I need to start writing more.” Then I remembered that I hadn’t really shared a Madison story yet. I already had a pretty good idea of which of my dishes were her favorite, but I thought I would ask her just the same. Our conversation went something like this:
Me: Hey kiddo, you know I’m writing about the things I make that you like to eat and I wanted to know some of your favorites.
Madison: Hmmm, what was that Mexican lasagna stuff you made when Madison and her mom came over for dinner?
Me: You mean the enchiladas?
Madison: Yes those!
Me: Okay, what else?
Madison: Oh, green chili – I like that, yogurt pie and chard.
Me: Wait a sec? What did you say? Did you just say chard?
Madison: Yeah, you know, like in Coraline when she says, ‘I think they’re trying to poison me’ to her doll ‘cause the chard is all slimy? But yours isn’t like that, so I like it.
Really? Well this was very interesting. I had a kid who liked chard. Joel’s not a fan of chard, but he will eat it when it’s one of the few greens available. (Sticking to the mostly seasonal eating thing, you know.) Chard – also known as Swiss Chard – is slightly bitter and a little salty, but it has high levels of magnesium, calcium, vitamin K, iron, potassium, vitamin A, folate, zinc, copper, vitamin C, dietary fiber, and vitamin E – so it’s really good for you.
The trick to cooking non-slimy chard is to sauté it for about a minute and serve it right away. I figured out after making one too many slimy chard dishes that it keeps cooking even after you take it out of the frying pan.
And so, here is my sautéed chard recipe which Madison loves so much and Joel tolerates:
1 bunch chard, stems removed and coarsely chopped
3 shallots, diced
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil and add the shallots. Cook until the shallots are no longer firm. Add the chard to the frying pan and season it with salt and pepper. Quickly mix the greens with the cooked shallots and coat them in olive oil. When the chard begins to shrink in volume (about ½ its’ size) take it off the heat and serve immediately.
Sautéed chard goes well with rice or orzo pasta along with pork chops, cube steak or cooked chicken breasts.
Cooking For Madison 
Yay thanks Heather! I’ve always had slimy chard, and now I know that I definitely cook it far longer than I should. Do you have any other chard recipes? I’ve always tried making it with some sauteed garlic, or with some fresh lemon juice squirted on it.