Hi all,

I have 3 bunches of swiss chard in the fridge, and am wanting to freeze some of it for later use....does anyone know if it is like spinach in being able to be frozen? I don't eat my greens cooked to smitherines, I like them just lightly steamed.....so taking that into consideration, how should I go about freezing my wonderful (but too abundant) swiss chard?

I looked in Joy of Cooking. The author said to treat the leaves like spinach.

I also checked my Victory Garden cookbook. It says this: Once ribs or leaves are cooked, their shelf life in the fridge is minimal. Do not freeze chard ribs; they will be soggy. You can freeze chard leaves. However, remove all the ribs from the leaves or they will discolor. Blanch leaves for 2 minutes in boiling water, then immediatley plunge into ice water for 2 minutes. Drain and package in freezer bags.

Substitute chard leaves in most spinach recipes--heartier texture and taste. Also, substitue in Greens recipes. Cook chard ribs as you would asparagus. String chard leaves if necessary.

They do not recommend microwaving leaves or ribs.