In Season: The Swiss chard harvest typically begins in the late summer and lasts into the fall. Many markets carry chard year-round.

What to Look For: You'll typically find three types of chard in stores and at farmers' markets: Rainbow chard has colorful red, pink, yellow, or white stalks; Fordhook Giant is identifiable by crinkly leaves and thick, white, tender stalks; and Ruby Red (or Rhubarb) chard has thin, red stalks and slightly stronger flavors. Regardless of kind, look for crisp, vibrant green leaves with no yellow or brown marks. Avoid leaves with small holes.

How to Store: After a mild rinse, store chard in moistened paper towels in a plastic bag (with a few pinholes to allow air to circulate) in the refrigerator for two or three days.

Swiss chard is sauteed with pine nuts, golden raisins, and garlic in this Italian-style side dish. A splash of balsamic vinegar adds brightness to the mixture.

Swiss chard adds texture and color to this creamy quiche enhanced with creme fraiche and Gruyere cheese. Serve this quiche for brunch, lunch, or dinner, accompanied by a green salad with dried fruit and nuts.

Orange juice and zest add a fragrant dimension to this quick Swiss chard saute. This easy side dish goes well with roasted pork, dark-meat chicken, or seared steak.

This rich lasagna layers sweet Italian sausage and sauteed Swiss chard with creamy bechamel. The individual dishes are topped with fontina cheese and baked until browned and bubbly.

Toasted fresh breadcrumbs provide a delicious, crunchy contrast to a simple saute of Swiss chard. Make extra breadcrumbs to add punch to any vegetable or pasta dish.

The ubiquitous Greek garlic-yogurt sauce gets the hearty green addition of lightly cooked Swiss chard. Serve this dip with pita chips or alongside roast lamb.

Mild Italian sausage, Swiss chard, pine nuts, raisins, and garlic make flavorful partners in this hearty, well-balanced pasta dish. If you can't find gemelli pasta, any short shape, such as penne or rotelle, is a good substitute.

Lentils, canned diced tomatoes, and two bunches of Swiss chard form the base of this healthful, filling, and economical soup. Serve for casual weeknight dinners with whole-grain bread.

Ricotta is blended with Parmesan cheese and chopped Swiss chard to make a creamy, colorful filling for homemade tortelloni. A rich Gorgonzola cream sauce makes this a truly luxurious meal.

Garlic-seasoned Swiss chard filling is surrounded by olive-oil dough in this savory vegetarian pie. It's great to have one on hand for no-fuss, elegant meals -- it can go straight from the freezer to the oven.

Swiss chard gets a fragrant, spicy flavor boost from fresh ginger and jalapeno peppers. Enjoy this saute as a side, toss with pasta for a main course (it's great with Asian noodles), or serve on crostini.

Chard tastes marvelous when sauteed simply with olive oil and garlic. A combination of green and ruby Swiss chard makes a colorful and appealing presentation.

Prosciutto and dried oyster mushrooms add mavelous meatiness to these chard-stuffed packages. Store-bought wonton wrappers are a great shortcut for homemade pasta dough.

Creamy polenta absorbs the juices of pan-seared pork loin and sauteed Swiss chard and onions. This satisfying meal only requires 30 minutes of prep time.

More hearty than traditional creamed spinach, this satisfying side dish is wonderful with steak. For faster preparation, you can cook the Swiss chard-and-onion mixture in advance and warm it in the microwave just before adding to the cream sauce.

Leeks sauteed in olive oil provide a sweet, tender complement to hearty Swiss chard in this savory tart. The vegetable-packed filling is bound together with a small amount of cream sauce and an egg, then baked with a topping of Gruyere cheese.

Swiss chard is sauteed with garlic, shallots, and lemon zest, and then allowed to simmer in white wine until tender. Tossed with creamy ricotta cheese and pine nuts, this is a satisfying vegetarian pasta dish.

Tiny green French lentils hold their shape when cooked, providing a pleasing contrast in texture with toothsome Arborio rice and sauteed Swiss chard. The risotto is finished with plenty of Parmesan cheese and the bitter crunch of purple radicchio.

This Swiss chard saute includes the rosy pink stalks along with the dark green leaves for a nice contrast in texture and color. The simple additions of garlic and red-wine vinegar make this simple side dish deeply flavorful.