Chard Puree

This puree is so good!!! You need a LOT of chard!

4 lb of chard, ribs removed

1/4 c chicken stock

1/4 c half and half

Pinch or two of nutmeg

Salt

3/4 c smoked bacon, cooked and cubed (I love CostCo’s cooked bacon bits)

Bring 8 quarts of water to a boil. Plunge chard into the water and cook 2 – 3 minutes to blanch. Remove and toss into a large blender, shaking off any excess water.

Add all the remaining ingredients EXCEPT the bacon to the blender.

Pour into a small pot, sprinkle with bacon and simmer until heated through.

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Fennel and Chard Puff

  
It tastes as good as it looks! It’s worth the effort.

Ingredients:
2 tsp grated parmesan
1 TBSP butter
1 lb fennel bulb, sliced thin
1 TBSP honey
Salt and pepper
1 bunch of chard, chopped small
1 lemon
2 shallots, sliced thin
4 eggs
1/2 c creme fraiche
6 oz gruyere cheese
1 TBSP cornstarch
2 tsp minced herbs, parsley, thyme and chives

Preheat the oven to 400 with a baking sheet set on rack in the upper 3rd of the oven. Butter a shallow 8 inch casserole and dust with Parmesan.

In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt butter. Add fennel and shallots and cook until starting to brown, stir in honey, salt and pepper. Cook until carmelized. Add the chard and lemon and cook until chard is soft and liquid is absorbed.

Separate eggs. Add creme fraiche, cheese, herbs and corn starch to the yolks, stir to combine. 

Beat egg whites until stiff. Stir 1/3 into the yolk mixture, stir in veggies.. Fold in remain white and pour into prepared pan.

Carefully place on preheated baking sheet and bake for 18 minutes. 

Serves 4.

Halibut and Mashed Beans

  
This is from the bacleanse, with a few minor tweaks. I have to say it was super tasty!! It looks like a lot of work, but it’s really not, the entire meal took about 30 active minutes. 

Fish & Beans:
½ tsp dried rosemary
Salt and pepper
½ tsp grated orange zest
1 lb halibut
Olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1½ tsp dried sage
½ tsp red pepper flakes
2 15-oz. cans cannellini beans, rinsed
½ c homemade veggie stock
1 TBSP fresh lemon juice, plus 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Chard:
2 tbspolive oil
8 oz shiitakes, stems removed, sliced
Salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 bunches rainbow chard (about 1 lb.), stems removed, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to  425.

Mix together rosemary, 1 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. black pepper, and orange zest. Sprinkle onto fish and let stand at least 10 minutes and up to 30 minutes before cooking. Then bake for 15 – 20 minutes until cooked through.

In a large skillet, heat 2 Tbs. oil over medium heat. Add garlic, sage, and chile and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add beans and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring and smashing some of the beans with a spoon or spatula as they cook until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes. Add stock and continue to mash to a thick purée. Turn off heat and stir in lemon juice and zest and 1 Tbsp. oil; season with salt and pepper. Transfer beans to a bowl and cover to keep warm.

For Chard:

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shiitakes and cook, until brown, about 3 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add half the chopped garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer mushrooms to a plate and wipe out skillet.

Heat remaining 1 Tbsp oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in remaining garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chard greens and 2 Tbsp. water. Cover skillet, reduce heat to medium, and cook until greens are mostly wilted, about 2 minutes. Uncover and cook, tossing, until greens are wilted and tender, about 2 minutes more. Stir in mushrooms and season with salt and pepper.

Serves 4.

Chard and Herb Pie

  
Another winner from Ottolenghi, and it’s perfect for meatless Monday! This is a tasty veggie treat!

Ingredients:
3 TBSP olive oil
1 onion, sliced thin
1 bunch on chard, stems removed and chopped
4 celery stalks, thinly sliced
5 spring onion, chopped
3 c arugula leaves
1 bunch of parsley, chopped
1/2 c mint, chopped
1/4 c dill, chopped
4 oz ricotta
4 oz mature cheddar, grated
2oz feta, crumbled
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 eggs, lightly beaten 
⅓ tsp salt
½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper
10 sheets phyllo

Preheat oven to 400.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat, add onions and cook until soft. Add the celery and cook 2 more minutes. Add chard and cook until soft about 5 minutes. Add herbs and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Stir in cheeses, eggs and pepper.

Spray a pie pan with olive oil. Layer the phyllo so it hangs over and can be folded over the top, brushing or spraying each piece of Phyllo with olive oil. Fill with chard mixture. Fold the overhanging phyllo over the top and brush or spray with olive oil. 

Bake for 40 minutes.

Serves 4.

  

Creamed Swiss Chard

This dish made my husband love Swiss chard. It’s great for a weeknight.

Ingredients:
1/2 c torn fresh breadcrumbs
2 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp lemon zest
Salt and pepper
2 large bunches Swiss chard, stemmed , leaves torn
2 TBSP unsalted butter
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
1/2 c heavy cream

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat toss breadcrumbs and lemon, season with salt. Toast, tossing several times until golden brown, 8–10 minutes.

Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until tender, 5–8 minutes. Add chard and cook until it starts to wild. Add cream; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring often, until thickened, season with salt and pepper.

Top Swiss chard with breadcrumbs just before serving.

Beef and Ricotta Meatballs with Chard

Another winner from F&W. I swapped in chard for beet greens and baked my meatballs instead of frying them.

Ingredients:
For the Chard:
2 TBSP olive oil
1 carrot, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small yellow onion, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 celery rib, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
3 anchovy fillets in oil, drained and chopped
1/2 c tomato paste
1 c water
1 pound chard, stemmed and coarsely chopped

For the Meatballs:
2 sliced day-old bread, torn into 1 inch pieces
1/4 c milk
1 lb ground beef (25 percent fat)
1/2 c fresh ricotta cheese
1/2 freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for garnish
1 large egg
Zest of one lemon
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 TBSP finely chopped parsley
1/2 TBSP ground fennel seed
Salt

PREPARE THE GREENS In a pot, heat the oil. Add the carrot, onion and celery, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until the vegetables are very tender and caramelized, 20 minutes. Add the anchovies and tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the anchovies dissolve and the tomato paste is deep red, 5 minutes. Add the water, chard, season with salt and pepper, and cook, tossing occasionally, until wilted, 7 minutes.

MAKE THE MEATBALLS
Preheat oven to 350.

In a bowl, soak the bread in the milk until the milk is absorbed, about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the beef, ricotta, Parmigiano, egg, lemon zest, crushed red pepper, parsley, fennel, kosher salt and black pepper. Squeeze any excess milk from the bread and add the bread to the bowl. Mix the meat mixture well, then roll it into eighteen 1 1/2-inch balls; transfer to a baking sheet.

Bake for 20 – 25 minutes.

Serve meatballs on greens with a little parmigiano.

Serves 6.

Coconut Chicken with Pickled Pepper Chard

This one is from the great Marcus Samuelsson published in F&W. I made a couple minor tweets. If you start your chicken in the buttermilk bath in the morning it is a great weeknight dinner.

Ingredients:
2 c buttermilk
3/4 c unsweetened coconut milk
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 thin chicken cutlets
3 c panko
1/2 c unsweetened shredded coconut
Salt & pepper
Canola oil, for frying
3 TBSP olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 lbs chard, stems and inner ribs removed, leaves thinly sliced
1/2 c water
Salt & pepper
1/2 c pickled jalapeños

In a 1 gallon zip lock bag, combine the buttermilk, coconut milk and garlic. Add the chicken and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours.

In a shallow bowl, combine the panko and coconut; season with salt and pepper.

Drain the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Dip the cutlets into the panko, pressing to help it adhere. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and cook over moderate heat until golden, 2 minutes. Add the collards and cook, stirring, until wilted, 
2 minutes. Add the water and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the liquid is nearly evaporated and the collards are tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in the sliced jalapeños; keep warm.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat ½ inch of canola oil until shimmering. Working in batches, fry the chicken over moderately high heat, turning once, until crispy, 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season with salt. Serve with the collards.

Serves 4 – 6.

Tomato, Chard and Gruyere Panade

This recipe was inspired by Food & Wine magazine. It is a classical Provençal casserole, the flavors are out of this world!!

Ingredients:
2 bunches of Swiss chard, stemmed
2 TBSP olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
4 thyme sprigs
1 c dry white wine
Salt
Pepper
1 1/2 – 2 c chicken stock
8 oz loaf of day-old peasant bread, sliced 1/2 inch thick
2 lbs tomatoes, sliced 1/2 inch thick
9 oz Gruyère cheese, shredded
3 TBSP butter, melted

In a 12 inch skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat, add onions and thyme and cook over low heat, covered for 15 minutes until softened. Salt and pepper. Add chard and wine and simmer over medium high heat, until chard is wilted and wine is reduced to 1/4 c.

Preheat oven to 400.

Butter a 12 x 12 pan. Layer bread, tomatoes, chard onion mixture, cheese and repeat. Pour liquid from skillet over the dish and then chicken stock. Push down the mixture and dot with butter.

Cover with foil and bake one hour. Remove foil and broil for 5 minutes until the cheese is brown.

Let rest 10 minutes and serve.

Serves 4 – 6.

Swiss Chard over Polenta with Bacon

This is a great quick weeknight meal when your short on time. And how can you go wrong with Bacon?

Ingredients:
1 c polenta
12 tsp kosher salt
6 ozs bacon
2 shallots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 lbs chard, ribs removed, roughly chopped
Red pepper flakes
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tsps balsamic vinegar

Cook polenta with salt as package directs.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large frying pan until crisp. Transfer to paper towels. Heat bacon dat in same pan over medium heat. Cook shallots, garlic until softened, 4 minutes. Stir in chard leaves, chile flakes, and 1/3 c water. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until wilted.

Stir cheese into polenta and spoon into bowls. Toss chard with vinegar and spoon over polenta. Crumble bacon and sprinkle on chard.

Serves 4.

Chard with Dumplings

I found this on Chow.com – made a couple changes here and there and i have to i will be making this again!!!!

Ingredients:
4 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1 yellow onion, diced
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 TBSP red pepper flakes
2 tsp chipotle powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 c chicken stock
2 bunches chard, tough stems removed, washed, and cut into bite-sized pieces

For the dumplings:
1 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp fine salt
1/2 c well-shaken buttermilk
2 TBSP unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

Place 3 TBSP of the bacon fat in a 12 inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, chiles, and measured salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender and beginning to brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the broth, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Stir in the greens a handful at a time, adding more as they wilt, until they’re all in the pot. Cover with a tightfitting lid, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tender, about 15 minutes. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.

For the dumplings:
When the greens are ready, place the flour, baking soda, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add the buttermilk and melted butter and stir until the flour mixture is moistened and a soft dough forms.

Drop the dough in heaping tablespoons about 1/2 inch apart into the simmering greens. Cover and simmer until the dumplings are cooked through and the tops are no longer sticky, about 12 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle the greens with the reserved bacon and serve immediately.

Serves 4.