A Green New Year

Chard—the leafy, green vegetable also known as Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris)—has been grown around the Mediterranean since ancient times. Legend has it that it was grown in the hanging gardens of Babylon. It was known to the ancient Etruscans, Greeks, and Romans, who cultivated several varieties: the white, sometimes called silver beet; the red; and a species with thin ribs that Apicius recommended cooking with leeks, coriander, cumin, and raisins that was thickened with flour and served with olive oil, vinegar, and liquamen (fermented fish sauce). Not everyone was a fan of Swiss chard: The first-century poet Marco Valerio Marziale dismisses chard in his book of Epigrams (Liber XIII, XIII) as a tasteless food fit only for blacksmiths.

In Israel, chard is traditionally served for Rosh Hashanah—probably because its Aramaic name selk resembles the Hebrew word for “remove” or “cause to disappear,” which is used to invoke the blessing that our enemies and those who wish us evil may be removed. Syrian Jews like to serve dishes like sil’eh (scrambled eggs with Swiss chard, leeks, celery, and cumin) or silka bi hummus (Swiss chard and chickpeas simmered in olive oil with chiles) for the New Year, as they say that the bitterness of chard commemorates the adversities of the previous year. Moroccan Jews often serve a salad of cooked Swiss chard leaves dressed with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, and paprika for the Rosh Hashanah table, while Algerian Jews make bestels aux blettes (little fried pastries filled with Swiss chard and hard-boiled eggs).

The name “chard” derives from the Latin carduus meaning “thistle”—although chard is not a member of the thistle family, but of the amaranth family. How it came to be known as Swiss chard is not clear: Some people say it was because it was originally described by a Swiss botanist called Gaspard Bauhin, while others claim the name appeared in 19th-century seed catalogs to distinguish it from the cardoon. According to Jane Grigson, in her book on vegetables, it was the Dutch who first described it as Swiss, but she does not say why.

Chard is also known by other names, like silver beet, white beet, seakale beet, spinach beet, or perpetual spinach. It has large, shiny green leaves that can grow to more than 12 inches in length, with stems that can vary in color from white to yellow or red, in which case they are called ruby chard or rainbow chard. Chard is more robust than spinach, with a slightly bitter flavor when eaten raw; once cooked, the bitterness decreases. Chard has many uses in the kitchen: It can be boiled, steamed, added to soups, stews, stir-fries, quiches, or omelettes, or simply sauteed in olive oil with garlic and perhaps a dash of chile. The young, tender leaves of Swiss chard can be also added raw to salads.

Spanish Jews have had a love affair with Swiss chard since the 15th century. Early recipes include a kind of spicy omelette made with chard, egg yolks, breadcrumbs, and a spice mix of dried ginger, cinnamon, pepper, cloves, mace, saffron, and nutmeg; and a simple dish of onion, chard, and eggplant fried in saffron-flavored olive oil that was served for weddings. More recent Sephardic dishes from Greece and Turkey include fritada de pazi, a kind of baked omelette made with chard, beaten eggs, and cheese that was traditionally served for Passover; sfongo de pazi, a Swiss chard, mashed potato, and cheese casserole; and yaprakes de pazi, Swiss chard leaves stuffed with rice.

As the thick stems of Swiss chard take longer to cook than the leaves, they are often cooked separately. Sephardic Jews use the stems to make ravikos de pazi (Swiss chard stems stewed in olive oil with lemon juice, tomato puree, and water), while Syrian Jews prefer to boil or steam the stems and serve them with a tahini sauce.

Swiss chard is one of the most widely used greens around the Mediterranean. In Croatia, it is often dubbed “the queen of the Dalmatian garden.” Blitva pirjana (Swiss chard and potatoes dressed with olive oil and garlic) is one of the most popular dishes along the Dalmatian coast. In southern Spain and Catalonia, Swiss chard is often sauteed in olive oil with raisins and pine nuts—a dish that was probably introduced by the Arabs. Swiss chard is also much enjoyed along the Cote d’Azur, especially Nice, which is famous for its tourte aux blettes—a Swiss chard pie, that not only includes raisins and pine nuts, but also beaten egg, sliced apple, lemon juice, sugar, eau-de-vie, and grated parmesan. The Italians, of course, are well known for their love of Swiss chard, which they use in minestrone soups, gratins, risottos, savory pastries and pies, stews, and stuffings for ravioli.

When choosing Swiss chard, always look for leaves that are bright green and glossy and show no signs of wilting or any brown discoloration. The stems should be firm and without any tiny holes. When storing, it is a good idea to separate the stems from the leaves. The leaves should be rolled in paper towels, then loosely wrapped in plastic. In this way they should keep for up to five days in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.

Chard has many health benefits. It contains an antioxidant called alpha-lipoic acid that is said to help stabilize blood sugar—so it is beneficial for diabetics. It is rich in potassium, vitamin K, and nitrates, which are good for the function of your brain. The high levels of beta-carotene in Swiss chard may also help prevent dementia. Chard is also rich in iron, which lowers the risk of anemia, and has a significant amount of calcium, which is good for your bones. It also loaded with phytonutrients that may help prevent the formation of cancer cells in the body. Swiss chard should be eaten in moderation, however, as it is high in oxalates that can cause kidney stones.