Pickled Chard Stems

Swiss chard is almost too beautiful to eat. A food crop first and foremost, it's brightly-hued ribs practically make it an ornamental with which to decorate the yard, never mind the vegetable garden. It's abundance at New England farm stands and markets means we've got to get creative with our use of chard. Put those pretty stems to work in this simple overnight pickle recipe seasoned with garlic scapes and Sriracha.

Pickled Chard Stems
Makes one 12-oz jar

Ingredients:

• Swiss chard stems, cleaned & sliced to fit jar
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar (I used agave nectar)
• 2-3 garlic scapes, slit (kept whole) & chopped
• 3 tablespoons Sriracha
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed

Instructions:

Mix vinegar, sugar, Sriracha, and celery seeds; set aside. Place whole garlic scapes in jar, then chard stems; fill the center with any small bits of stem and chopped scapes. Pour vinegar mixture over stems, seal, and refrigerate for at least 24 hours for flavor saturation. Enjoy as a cool snack or BBQ accompaniment!

Rebekah

Images by Rebekah Carter (2011). Recipe adapted from bon appétit.