Swiss Chard: Not Just For Sides

Swiss chard — it's a peacock in the world of dark, leafy greens. With broad leaves punctuated by streaks of vibrant colors like bright yellow, deep red, and flaming magenta running through the stems and veins, a display of rainbow Swiss chard at the store is certainly visually arresting.

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But what do you do with it? You could always give it a quick sauté, perhaps with some garlic here, perhaps with some lemon zest there, and a grating of Parmesan on top. You could work it into a delicious risotto. Or, you could let its flavors permeate a tasty broth, as in the winning recipe, Anne Dolce's Swiss Chard and Sausage with Polenta Recipe. We did all of these things this week, always bearing in mind one goal: to let the natural flavor of Swiss chard shine in the spotlight.

After all, if you had a peacock, you wouldn't keep it hidden in the coat closet all day, would you?

Will Budiaman is the Recipe Editor at The Daily Meal. Follow him on Twitter @WillBudiaman.