Didn't You Ask For Fish Chard?

This isn't the first time I've tried gardening since moving to Sarasota in 2001. In fact, it's really kind of the 4th. The first time we built 6'x6' raised beds. In hindsight, I didn't improve the soil enough for the types of things I was trying, didn't water enough, a whole mass of factors. I eventually gave up and the tallest grass you ever saw took over. It was luxurious. But eventually my next door neighbor complained about snakes and it was time to go. [We do have snakes in this neighborhood--the eastern glass lizard [quiet a surprise when it drops its tail], teensy ring-necked snakes [extra fun to bring in the house], black racers [too big for cat snacks but loads of fun to chase]--but the grass wasn't the sole reason :) ]

I did however manage to produce enough swiss chard to serve it as a side dish for Thanksgiving dinner to my family. I took a bite--this didn't taste quite right. I looked around the table. Similarly perturbed expressions. "It tastes...like...fish?" said my brother-in-law, Robert. Indeed it did. I had been using fish oil----mostly unsuccessfully--to keep the bugs off. I think that was the end of gardening round one.



Oils as a whole are tough to use in Florida. Sun cooks the leaves. I've since learned to use Garlic Barrier [the recommend every 10 days, in Southwest Florida in the summer you need to use it weekly] and Conserve Electrolyte when the army worms come out [which pretty much only bother the chard and the mustard and mostly in the summer.] And YES! You can grow Swiss Chard in the summer. While I've successfully grown them in containers, they like they're morning-sun-only raised bed better. The chard in the picture above is 18 months old.

Why the green netting? To keep the kitty-cats from using the raised beds as litter boxes.



Happy chard in the afternoon shade! [That's one of my 10 rain barrels on the far left. Yes, I can get a tad excessive but I've never used city water for garden 4.0.]

If you've never cooked chard use it like spinach. Saute a little olive oil, a little garlic, maybe some red pepper flakes, and then the chard until limp. Put it in eggs, soups. Here's a few favorite recipes.

Chard [subsituted for escarole] and beans

Chard Chicken Parmesan Soup Recipe
[Based on a Suzanne Sommers recipe I can no longer find.]

• In a big pot saute you up some onions.
• Put in a mid-size chicken in [3.5-4lbs]
• Add water to cover the chicken [basically you're making chicken stock]
• Add a handful of parmesan cheese rinds. As I get down to the rinds, I keep it in the freezer until I make this soup. The rind will get jelly-like and flavor the soup wonderfully.
  
• Cook until the meat falls off the bones.
• Let cool a bit, then strain out the chicken bones and skin and gunk. Leave the rinds in. Return the meat to the pot.
• Add the juice from two lemons.
• Bring up to a simmer, and add a bunch of swiss chard. Remember, it will really diminish as it wilts. I figure at least 4 chopped loosely packed cups per person. I often add more at the end.
• Beat 4 egg together. Pour the eggs in as you stir the soup. Voila!

Like the radish greens recipe, this freezes great.

I would guess this makes about 10 servings of soup. You could add rice, serve with a nice crusty bread, etc. A little salt and pepper to taste.



[Haley is done with this swiss chard discussion, although she maintains some interest in the chicken soup.]