Swiss Chard is a type of beet that doesn’t produce an edible root but is grown for its big, crinkly leaves on wide crunchy stems. It can also be used as an ornamental in the flower garden. Use the young chard leaves like spinach: use small leaves in salads and cook larger leaves by lightly steaming them. The fleshy petioles, separated from the leaf, can be prepared like asparagus.
