Risotto-Stuffed Swiss Chard

This is a yummy way to use SWISS CHARD, a flavorful main course dish.  If you have any extra CABBAGE leaves, use them to wrap the filling in as well.  If you don’t have Prosciutto, substitute another flavorful meat.

2 Tbsp. butter

1/2 medium onion, chopped

4 oz. Prosciutto, chopped

1 portabello mushroom, or 6 button mushrooms, chopped

1 c. (Arborio) rice

½ c. dry white wine

3 to 4 c. beef broth

¼ c. Parmesan cheese, grated

12 Swiss chard leaves

½ c. tomato sauce

½ c. Gruyere cheese

In heavy saucepan, melt butter and saute onion, prosciutto, and mushrooms over medium heat until tender, about 10 min.  Add rice and stir to coat rice evenly.  Add white wine and simmer, stirring, until liquid has evaporated.  Add broth, 1 c. at a time, always stirring.  Simmer for 20 to 30 min.; rice should be al dente.  Stir in Parmesan cheese.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Remove thick lower part of chard stalks.  Steam leaves for 2 min., or until they have wilted.  Drain leaves and rinse them under cold water.  Drain them again and place leaves on paper towels to absorb moisture.  Spoon approximately 2 Tbsp. of (Arborio) rice mixture onto middle of each leaf, putting less in smaller leaves.  Fold sides toward center, then fold in ends.  Make sure ends overlap to keep filling secure.  Place each package seam-side down in shallow baking dish that has been brushed with a little olive oil.  Spoon tomato sauce over each package.  Sprinkle stuffed chard leaves with Gruyere and bake them for 20 min.  Serve immediately.  Serves 4, three per person.

Recipe from Recipes from the Garden by Rosalind Creasy.

Red Lentil & Swiss Chard Stew

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, sliced
5 tps curry powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3 (14 ounce) cans vegetable broth

12 c. swiss chard, chopped (about 1 bunch)
1 lb red lentil (or 2 1/4 cups)

1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained (chick peas)
yogurt (garnish) or sour cream (garnish)

In a large soup pot or saucepan, saute the onion in oil over medium high heat for 10-15 minutes or until onion is golden. Stir in curry powder and cayenne. Add the broth and chard and increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and stir in lentils and garbanzos. Cover pan and simmer for 10 minutes or until lentils are tender (if you use brown lentils it will take longer for lentils to be tender), stirring occasionally. Divide soup into bowls and top with sour cream or yogurt, if desired.

Recipe from Food.com

Light Swiss Chard Frittata

Serves 4-6

 

4 large eggs

4 large egg whites
1/4 c. grated Swiss Cheese

1/2 bunch (6 1/2 cups) Swish Chard, washed well
2 tsp light butter

1 large white onion (2 cups), sliced thin
salt and fresh pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400°. In a medium bowl combine eggs, egg whites, cheese and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside. Separate the stems from the leaves of the chard. Dice the stem into small pieces. Roll the leaves up and slice into thin ribbons, about an 1/8-inch thick. Heat a 10-inch skillet on low heat; melt half of the butter and add the onions with a pinch of salt and pepper. Slowly cook the onions, stirring occasionally until the onions become translucent, about 8-10 minutes. Bring the heat up to medium and cook until the onions caramelize. Set the onions aside. Increase the heat to medium-high, add remaining butter and add the chard stems. Cook about 3-4 minutes. Add the chard leaves to the pan and cook until wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low; pour egg mixture into the skillet and add caramelized onions, salt and pepper and mix well to blend. Reduce heat to low and cook until the edges set, about 6-8 minutes. Once the bottom and edges set, place in the oven and bake until completely set through, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from the oven and place a dish over the pan; flip onto the plate. Cut into wedges and serve.

Recipe from SkinnyTaste.com

Curried Cauliflower Bisque with Garlic Greens

Make this soup with a high-quality yellow curry powder.   If you like heat, add a diced Serrano pepper.  This soup is also great made with a little coconut milk in place of some of the vegetable stock.

1 ½ tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil or butter

½ medium yellow onion, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

½ head cauliflower (4 c.), chopped

1 Tbsp. curry powder

4-5 c. stock

2 Tbsp. long-grain rice

Salt and fresh-ground pepper to taste

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

3 ounces greens (spinach, chard, collard greens, dandelions, etc.), cleaned, tough stems removed

Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil or butter in 4-quart soup pot over medium heat.  When hot, add onion and celery and cook until vegetables begin to soften around the edges (4-5 minutes).  Add cauliflower and curry powder and cook, stirring often, 3-4 minutes more.  Add just enough stock to cover vegetables (4-4 ½ c.).  Add rice, and bring soup to simmer.  Simmer until cauliflower and rice are tender (about 20 min).  Blend soup on High, in batches if necessary, until smooth.  If soup seems too thick, add last bit of stock and reheat until hot.  Season to taste with salt and fresh-ground pepper.  Heat remaining ½ Tbsp. olive oil or butter in medium-size sauté pan over medium heat.  When hot, add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, 30-60 seconds.  Add greens and cook until greens are wilted and tender.  Season to taste with more salt and pepper.  Ladle hot soup into bowls and top with spoonful of sautéed greens.  Serves 4.

Recipe from Mothering Magazine, January-February 2010 issue.

Coconut Quinoa with Swiss Chard

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 35 min

Makes: 2 servings

3 Tbsp. coconut oil

3 hot peppers of your choice

½ c. quinoa

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

½ tsp. black mustard seed

½ tsp. yellow mustard seed

½ tsp. cumin

½ tsp. turmeric

½ tsp. sea salt

½ c. broth, any variety

1 c. large coconut chips, soaked in 1 c. water for 5 min.

1 ½ c. Swiss chard, stems removed (save for garnish) and roughly cut ¼” wide

Heat oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat.  Pierce peppers 3-4 times each and sauté in oil until tender.  Press each pepper gently before removing it from the oil so you are left with pepper-infused oil.  Reduce heat to medium.  Mix quinoa with garlic and spices, add to oil, and cook for 4-5 min. until lightly browned and mustard seeds begin to pop.  Add coconut and broth and simmer over medium heat for 15-20 min, until quinoa is al dente and most of the moisture is absorbed or evaporated.  Remove from heat and let sit 4-5 min.  Arrange finely sliced chard on plates; toss quinoa with rough-cut chard and spoon over top.

From MaryJanesFarm Magazine April-May 2010 issue

Curried Cauliflower Bisque with Garlic Greens

Make this soup with a high-quality yellow curry powder.   If you like heat, add a diced Serrano pepper.  This soup is also great made with a little coconut milk in place of some of the vegetable stock.

1 ½ tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil or butter                                           ½ medium yellow onion, diced

1 stalk celery, diced                                                                             ½ head cauliflower (4 c.), chopped

1 Tbsp. curry powder                                                                          4-5 c. stock

2 Tbsp. long-grain rice                                                                        Salt and fresh-ground pepper to taste

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

3 ounces greens (beet greens, spinach, chard, dandelions, etc.), cleaned, tough stems removed

Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil or butter in 4-quart soup pot over medium heat.  When hot, add onion and celery and cook until vegetables begin to soften around the edges (4-5 minutes).  Add cauliflower and curry powder and cook, stirring often, 3-4 minutes more.  Add just enough stock to cover vegetables (4-4 ½ c.).  Add rice, and bring soup to simmer.  Simmer until cauliflower and rice are tender (about 20 min).  Blend soup on High, in batches if necessary, until smooth.  If soup seems too thick, add last bit of stock and reheat until hot.  Season to taste with salt and fresh-ground pepper.  Heat remaining ½ Tbsp. olive oil or butter in medium-size sauté pan over medium heat.  When hot, add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, 30-60 seconds.  Add greens and cook until greens are wilted and tender.  Season to taste with more salt and pepper.  Ladle hot soup into bowls and top with spoonful of sautéed greens.  Serves 4.

Frittata with Gruyere, Leek, and Chard

1 bunch Swiss chard, tough white stems discarded                             2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 medium leek (or onion), white and tender green parts thinly sliced      1 tsp. salt, plus more to taste

6 large eggs                                                                                 4 oz. Gruyere cheese, grated (about ¾ cup)

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Wash chard in cold water several times.  Drain and transfer to a pot.  Cover and cook over high heat for 1 to 2 min. or until wilted and bright green.  Drain and run under cold water until chilled.  Squeeze dry and chop.  Heat butter in heavy saute pan.  Add leek and 1 tsp. of salt.  Cook 5 to 7 min. until softened; regulate the heat to prevent browning.  Remove from heat.  Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl and whisk briefly.  Add the chard, leek, and cheese.  Season with plenty of black pepper and, if desired, additional salt.  Butter a 9-inch pie plate or cast-iron skillet.  Pour in egg mixture and smooth the surface with a spatula.  Bake for 35 to 40 min. or until puffed and golden brown.  An inserted knife will come out clean when the frittata is ready.  Serves 6.

Stuffed Chard with Fresh Marinara

1 pound ground beef

½ c. plain dry breadcrumbs

2 medium shallots, minced, divided

1 ½ tsp. Italian seasonings, divided

1 tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. freshly ground pepper, divided

8 large Swiss chard leaves, stems removed (see Tip)

1 14-oz. can chicken broth

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

¼ tsp. crushed red pepper

1  28-oz. can crushed tomatoes

½ c. freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

Gently mix beef, breadcrumbs, 1 Tbsp. shallot, ½ tsp. Italian seasoning, garlic powder and ¼ tsp. pepper in large bowl until just combined.  Divide mixture into 8 oblong 3-inch portions.  Overlap the 2 sides of a chard leaf where the stem was removed and place a portion of beef there.  Tightly roll chard around beef.  Place each roll, seamside down, in large nonstick skillet.  Pour in broth, cover and bring to boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to simmer; cook until instant-read thermometer inserted in center of roll read 165 degrees F, 8-10 min.  Discard any remaining broth.  Meanwhile, heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add remaining shallot, 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, ¼ tsp. pepper and crushed red pepper.  Cook, stirring often, ’til shallot is soft, 1 to 2 min.  Stir in tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, ’til slightly reduced and thickened, about 8 min.  Serve chard rolls topped with sauce and Parmesan cheese, if desired.  TIP: Remove chard stems, including widest section of rib at base of leaf, by making narrow triangular cuts.  MAKE AHEAD TIP: Cover and refrigerate chard rolls in sauce; reheat in covered baking dish at 350 degrees F. for about 10 min.

Chipotle Cheddar Chard

The bright assorted colors of rainbow chard are especially lovely in this spicy, cheesy dish.  Make a double batch and enjoy it as a quesadilla filling. Makes: 6 servings, about 2/3 c. each              Total Time: 25 min.

2 tsp. buttermilk

1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 pound chard, stems and leaves separated, chopped (see Note)

1 med. Tomato, chopped

¼ c. chicken broth or water

1/4-1/2 tsp. ground chipotle pepper (or subst. ¼ tsp. cayenne and ¼ tsp. paprika)

¼ tsp. salt                                                                                                              2/3 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and chard stems and cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 5 min.  Add tomato, broth (or water), chipotle to taste and salt; bring to a simmer.  Add chard leaves and cook, covered, stirring once, until just tender, about 2 min.  Scatter cheese evenly over chard and cook, uncovered, until cheese is melted, 1 to 2 min. more.  Serve immediately.  TIP: After washing chard for these recipes, allow some of the water to cling to the leaves.  It helps steam the chard and prevents a dry finished dish.  From Eating Well Magazine December 2006.