Blog

What’s GREAT at the Market this Week?

Many ask – are silverbeet and chard the same? Well Dr Google says …………..

Whilst referred to by some as the same… Swiss chard is similar to spinach but has a stronger flavour and is generally more colourful. Silverbeet has a white stalk. Chard – such as rainbow chard – frequently available at the market has coloured stalks often varying from a deep red to yellow.. So what about silverbeet and spinach? Silverbeet – a close relative of spinach and beetroot is believed to have originated in the Mediterranean. On the other hand English spinach, or true spinach, is often confused with silverbeet. Spinach, however, has a smaller, flatter leaf and green veins, as opposed to the white veins of silverbeet.

Baby spinach is a flat-leaf popular green with soft, tender and mild-flavoured leaves enjoyed in salads.

In Provence silverbeet’s white stems are prized – like asparagus, while in Italy, the stem of the silverbeet has its own name, costa, which is a mark of preciousness. These white stalks are delicious cooked down into a puree with cream and nutmeg or with loads of creamy garlic or fried in coconut or olive oil and tossed through a robust Italian soup such as minestrone .

Now back to Swiss chard – note that all parts of the plant — including the leaves and stalks — contain some oxalic acid which can crystallize in people sensitive to oxalic acid, forming oxalate urinary tract stones. Silverbeet similarly contains oxalic acid. This may be a concern especially in those with kidney and gallbladder problems. So it can be enjoyed by most people regularly and by some only occasionally and I suggest that – like silverbeet – it is always cooked.

So now another option is European Spinach available at Summit Organics. Southern European Spinach is a rich source of vitamins and minerals and delicious eaten fresh or steamed. Large leaves are like silverbeet but softer and sweeter. Only the very young leaves are for eating fresh – generally those available at the market are more mature and best eaten as you would silverbeet. montage