JENNY’S RECOMMENDATIONS
Perpetual silverbeet
If you prefer a milder, more spinach-like taste, then perpetual silverbeet is an excellent choice. It has smaller leaves, spinach-like in shape, and thinner stems than most other varieties of silverbeet. The leaves are a lighter, apple-green colour, smoother and finer in texture, and subtler in taste.
Unlike spinach, perpetual silverbeet can handle changing conditions, and is resistant to bolting in hot summer weather. Pinch out the flowering heads and it will keep producing for a couple of years.
Rainbow chard
We also enjoy rainbow chard or fivecolour beet (also sold as ‘Bright Lights’), sometimes referred to as the poster child of the heirloom movement.
Forget boring white stems. Its stems are a glorious array of tangerine-orange, bright pink, cadmium yellow, blood-red and creamy lemon, and you can get all of them in the one seed packet.
Another variety, Ruby Chard, has bright crimson stalks and deep maroon-red leaves.
The colourful leaves are gorgeous in a potager garden, or with mixed herbs and perennials like rhubarb, fennel, angelica and sweet cicely.
The flavour is similar to common green silverbeet. The colours muddy somewhat on cooking, so cook for just a few minutes to retain as much colour as possible.