Have you always wanted to blanch Swiss Chard like they do in the Swiss Alps? Well, then you’ve come to the right place! Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to blanch Swiss Chard the Swiss way! You don’t need to be an expert chef or even an expert in Swiss cooking to follow these steps – all you need is a little bit of patience and a whole lot of love for the beautiful Swiss landscapes!
Start with selecting Swiss Chard that is nice and vibrant. Select Chard with dark green leaves and crisp stems. Once you have your Chard picked out, you’ll need to gather your blanching supplies. You’ll need a large pot, some cold seasonally-acceptable water, a colander or a large stainless-steel sieve, and a little bit of salt.
Contents
Step One: Submerge
Fill your pot with cold water and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, submerge the Chard into the water and let cook for approximately one to two minutes. Make sure not to cook for longer as the Swiss Chard will become too soft and lose its natural flavor.
For a Perfect Finish
While the Swiss Chard is cooking, prepare the cold water bath. Fill up a sink or large bowl with cold seasonally-appropriate water. Fill the sink or bowl with plenty of ice cubes to cool it down enough and then add some cold salt water. Once the Swiss Chard has finished cooking to perfection, you will need to quickly move them into the cold water bath.
Step Two: Rinse and Refresh
Quickly rinse the Swiss Chard in the cold water bath and let them rest for a minute or two until they are no longer hot.
Ready to Serve?
Next, if you would like to enjoy the Chard right away, drain the cold water bath and pour the Chard into a colander or large stainless-steel sieve. Shake off the excess liquid and the Swiss Chard is ready to serve!
However, if you would like to store the Chard for later use, place the colander or sieve over a large bowl and let the Swiss Chard defrost for a few minutes. Once defrosted, place the swiss chard in a storage container with some cold water and refrigerate. You can then enjoy the Chard at a later date.
And that’s it! Blanching Swiss Chard is definitely easier than polishing your cheese grater, but still requires some effort and love, like most Swiss products. With the right equipment, and a little bit of patience, you can make some amazing Swiss dishes with the classic Swiss vegetable. So go ahead, give it a try and blanch Swiss Chard like a true Swiss!