July 10, 2019

Swiss Chard Recipe: Ohitashi & Japanese Pickled Stems

This is an incredibly simple swiss chard recipe, that really highlights the vegetable and allows you to taste it at it’s chardy-best. Ohitashi is a Japanese method of cooking and serving greens with a subtle umami flavor, that really highlights the cooked vegetable. This ohitashi is made with a seasonal summer favorite -swiss chard- and embraces a zero-waste philosophy by also incorporating swiss chard stems (a often discarded part of the vegetable). The stems are made into a simple, Japanese-style quick and crunchy pickle. The ohitashi and pickled stems can be made into a meal by serving with rice (although you may also eat them alone for a low-carb option).

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Swiss Chard Recipes (Yes, Do Eat the Stems!)

Swiss chard is at it’s peak yumminess mid summer- which is why we’ve been eating so much of it lately. This time of year, I’m always searching for my next swiss chard recipe! It’s leaves are typically dark green, soft and tender, but it’s stems are the real show stoppers. From light green, to ruby red, lemon yellow and blushing purples, swiss chard stems are a rainbow of stunning colors. Sadly, a lot recipes have you discard these beautiful, crunchy stalks, eating just the soft leaves. That loss of color breaks my heart, so I usually just refuse to do it, ignoring the instructions and cooking the stems as I would the leaves. For this recipe, I decided on a different approach, and used both the stems and the leaves separately, before bringing them together in the final dish.

Looking for a Swiss Chard Recipe? Or other greens? Try these!

What is Ohitashi?

Ohitashi is a traditional Japanese side dish that is comprised of soaked vegetables. In that sense, the dish I’ve made isn’t quite ohitashi- I chose to steam my greens rather than boil, as it leaves the vegetables with more nutrients- but in it’s flavor and simplicity it is. Ohitashi is most commonly made with spinach, but it can also be made with any manner of greens, or other vegetables including asparagus and even potatoes. Ohitashi is most often made with dashi, or Japanese soup stock, but given the fish elements of the stock we’ve taken an even simpler approach. Just soy sauce, sesame oil, and mirin coat our greens, and the result is a simple, flavorful, delicious dish. The idea is to add an umami element, while still retaining the natural flavor of the vegetable. If you don’t have chard, feel free to use this recipe with other vegetables- kale, beet greens, maybe even potatoes- for a quick, tasty, and healthy meal.

Making Chard Ohitashi & Japanese Pickled Stems

I love this swiss chard recipe because it uses the whole leaf, and is easy to make. Optional rice makes a filling meal, but if you’re trying to watch the carbs you can do without. To make the chard stem pickles, remove the stalks from the leaves. Massage the brine ingredients into the stems, and place in the fridge until you’re ready to eat. You can do this a day or so ahead of time- the pickles improve a little with age- or right before you eat. You will also likely have some of these pickles left over once you’ve finished eating, so they can be kept in the fridge and added to salads and such. The ohitashi is made by steaming the greens, and then shocking them under cold water to stop the cooking process. Squeeze out all the water and give it a good chop. Finally add the sauce ingredients, gently separating the squeezed leaves as you mix. Serve fresh, and enjoy!

Swiss Chard Recipe: Ohitashi & Japanese Pickled Stems

Ingredients

1 large bunch (or two smaller ones) of swiss chard, washed
2 tbsp. apple cider or white wine vinegar
2 tsp. white miso paste
2 tsp. mirin, divided
½ tsp. salt
1 cup dried white rice (optional)
2 tsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. sesame seeds

Instructions

Remove the chard stems from the leaves, and keep both. Start by chopping the chard stems down the stalk into small pieces. Place in a bowl with the vinegar, miso paste, 1 tsp. mirin and ½ tsp. salt. Use your hands to massage the sauce into the stalks, mixing well for a couple minutes. Place the chard stem pickles in an airtight refrigerator until used.
If making rice, cook the rice as directed. Once cooked, set aside.
Bring a pot of water fitted with a steamer to the boil. Add the chard leaves and allow to stem for about 5 minutes, until the leaves have reduced greatly in size. Shock under cold water, then use your hands to squeeze out as much water as possible. Roughly chop the chard leaves, and place in a bowl with the soy sauce, sesame oil, and remaining tsp. of mirin. Gently work the sauces in, mixing and pulling apart the clumps. Top with sesame seeds.
Serve the greens along with the rice and pickled stems. You will likely have more stems than you need, so reserve any remaining pickled stems and add to salads or eat as a snack.

https://veryveganval.com/2019/07/10/swiss-chard-recipe-ohitashi-japanese-pickled-stems/

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