Swiss Chard Beer Garden Salad

Photo by Heami Lee, food styling by Judy Haubert, prop styling by Rebecca Bartoshesky
Swiss chard is the star of this salad that is full of attention-getters. The dark leafy green is silky like spinach but has chew like a gentler kale as well as edible ribs and stems with celery-like crunch. Among the ribbons of Swiss chard, you’ll find briny, salty pops of mustard-macerated onions, aged or sharp cheddar, and crushed pretzels. Not intended to be confused with Wurstsalat, the southern German salad that features sausage, this recipe is instead an ode to the flavors often found at beer gardens—okay, minus the beer. Use large hard sourdough pretzels or nuggets, which have a good amount of dry interior, ideal for soaking up dressing.
