Creamed Swiss Chard

 

Bacon, garlic, and a little onion add flavor to this dish of Swiss chard. Swiss chard has long been one of my favorite vegetables, because it's a tasty and nutritious green vegetable, and it's so easy to grow.Here's a large photo.

Ingredients:

• 2 bunches, about 2 pounds, Swiss chard, white ribbed or a mixture of colors (rainbow, red, yellow)
• 3 or 4 slices bacon, diced
• 1 clove garlic, mashed and finely minced
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup half-and-half or whole milk
• pinch nutmeg
• salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:

Wash chard and cut off thicker stems. Thinly slice the stems and chop leaves into 1/2- to 1-inch pieces. Steam or boil the stems for about 5 minutes, then add chard and cook until wilted, about 4 minutes longer. Drain well, squeezing out excess moisture if necessary. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook the diced bacon until crisp; remove and set aside. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is tender. Stir in the cooked drained chard and the reserved bacon; set aside.
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in the flour until smooth and bubbly. Add the half-and-half or milk and nutmeg. Cook, stirring, until smooth and thickened. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
Add about 1/2 of the sauce to the chard, stirring to blend. Stir in more or all of the remaining sauce mixture, as desired.
Serves 4 to 6.