Swiss chard. A vegetable with large, dark leaves and fleshy ribs, mainly of a creamy white but sometimes a vibrant red. Leaves are cooked in the same way as spinach. The ribs are peeled and cut into manageable chunks and boiled or added to soups or stews. They are tender when young, stringy when old. The ribs are known as cardes de blette, côtes de blette. In southern France it is sometimes served in a deep pie with apples, pine nuts, raisins and cheese. It can either be served as a dessert or as a savoury depending on the amount of sugar included. It also means bleak, a kind of fish.
