Step 1
Bring a salted pot of water up to a boil and carefully add the unsliced chard stem

Step 2
After 3-4 minutes, carefully add the chard leaves and blanch for 3 more minutes

Step 3
After 6-8 minutes total, remove leaves and stem and set in a colander to drain and cool (you can rinse with water or plunge into an ice bath if you like, but it’s not essential)

Step 4
When leaves and stem are cool enough to handle, gently squeeze out excess water and roughly chop then place in a wide mixing bowl

Step 5
Meanwhile heat garlic in olive oil in a pan, when garlic begins to get golden, add a pinch of chile flake, swirl twice and immediately drizzle hot oil/garlic/chile over chard

Step 6
Squeeze lemon juice over chard, toss gently. Taste. Add more salt, lemon juice or olive oil if you like.

Step 7
Serve and enjoy!

Pro Tips

• Well salted water and perfectly cooked chard is key to a delicious dish here… your water should taste seasoned and appealing and your chard should taste tender and buttery when cooked properly
• Crunchy toasted breadcrumbs, grated parmesan, roasted mushrooms or beets would all be happy additions
• Take the chard in a Korean direction, skip the toasted garlic oil and instead dress with the following mixture:
  • 1 tablespoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon doenjang or miso
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce or soy sauce
  • 1 medium garlic clove, finely grated
  • 1 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
  • 2 scallions, sliced thinly