Summer Veg with Bacon on Chard

Today’s challenge was to cook up a consignment of summer veg, freshly picked at our local community farm, into a meal for 2. The veg selection included leaves of chard, tomatoes, a courgette, and mange tout. I combined it with a few ADK kitchen stand-bys – chopped mushroom, onion, bacon and crushed garlic into the meal shown above.

Servings

Light lunch for 2.

Timings

15 mins to prepare.

You Will Need

• 6 leaves of chard
• 3 slices streaky bacon
• half an onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 mushrooms
• 1 courgette
• 3 – 4 tomatoes
• 12 – 15 mange tout

Method

1. Chop the bacon and fry until crisped. Remove to a plate to stay warm.
2. Crush the garlic clove and add to the warm frying pan. Chop the mushroom, onion and courgette, then add to the pan. Add in the tomatoes and let them reduce to form a squishy sauce.
3. Wash the chard and place in a steamer for 5 – 10 minutes. Add the mange tout for the last 3 – 4 minutes.
4. Remove the chard and mange tout, and pat dry with kitchen roll.
5. Arrange a bed of chard on each of 2 plates. Top with the tomatoey mix, then place the mange tout and bacon on top. Serve.

Customise It!

You can add or swap in any veg that is seasonal or which you have to hand. Chopped peppers would be fine. I also had green beans to hand so could easily have swapped those for the mange tout. Leave out the bacon and sprinkle with roasted nuts for a vegetarian/vegan option.

Here’s a track I came across recently on my ear buds while out and about in the sunshine. I found myself pacing my walk in time with the beat. Great fun – try it out! This is Overseer with Pump Action.