Braised Chard Recipes

BRAISED CHARD WITH DRIED CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• Warm the chicken broth in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat and add the dried cranberries; set aside to plump.
• Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the red onion and chard stems and cook, stirring, until the stems are just tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Add the chicken broth and dried cranberries. Add the chard leaves, pressing them down to fit, if needed. Cover and simmer until the leaves just start to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Uncover and increase the heat to medium high. Cook until the leaves are just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt.
• Transfer the chard mixture to a serving bowl with tongs, leaving the liquid in the pot. Stir the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil into the liquid and increase the heat to high. Bring to a boil and cook until the liquid is syrupy, about 2 minutes. Pour over the chard.

QUICK BRAISED CHARD & LENTILS

Steps:

• Cut the chard stalks into batons and roughly shred the leaves. Heat half the olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add the chard stalks, garlic, chilli and a splash of water. Cook over a low heat for 8-10 mins until softened, then add the leaves and cook until completely wilted.
• Prepare the lentils following pack instructions. Take the chard off the heat and stir through the lentils. Season, dress with more olive oil and the lemon juice, then serve.

ONE-POT BRAISED CHARD WITH GNOCCHI, PEAS AND LEEKS

Steps:

• In a 5- or 6-quart Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add leeks and chard stems, and cook until tender and lightly brown, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Stir in garlic, thyme and a large pinch of salt and black pepper, and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute longer. Add wine, scraping up the brown bits at bottom of pot, and let the wine reduce by half, 2 to 4 minutes. Pour in stock and 3/4 teaspoon salt, and bring to a simmer.
• Stir in gnocchi and chard leaves. Cook, partly covered, for 15 minutes, until the chard is soft. Add peas and tarragon, and continue to cook, partly covered, until gnocchi are cooked through, another 5 to 10 minutes. Taste and add more salt, if needed.
• To serve, top with parsley, a generous shower of Parmesan and a big squeeze of lemon. If you like, you can also add a dollop of ricotta and some red-pepper flakes.

SAUTEED SWISS CHARD (DON'T BE AFRAID!!!)

Steps:

• Melt butter and oil in heavy large pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and crushed red pepper.
• Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add swiss chard; stir to coat.
• Cover and cook until tender (stirring occasionally) about 8 minutes.
• Squeeze juice from 1/2 lemon onto chard.
• Season to taste with salt.
• Enjoy!

BRAISED CHARD

Steps:

• Rinse the Swiss chard. Leave any water clinging to it. Chop it fine.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic, saute for a minute or so, then add the Swiss chard. Cook, stirring, until the Swiss chard begins to wilt. Cover the pan and cook over low heat for about 15 minutes.
• Uncover and cook, stirring, a few minutes longer. Stir in the scallions, season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

BRAISED SPRING ONIONS, FENNEL AND SWISS CHARD

Steps:

• Coat a large saute pan with olive oil. Toss in the smashed garlic and crushed red pepper and bring the pan to a medium heat. When the garlic becomes golden brown and very aromatic, remove it from the pan and discard it. It has fulfilled its garlic destiny. Add the onions, fennel and Swiss chard stems, stir to coat with the oil and season with salt, to taste. Stir in the white wine and the lemon zest and juice. Cover and cook over medium heat until the veggies have become soft and wilted but still maintain some texture, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the lid and cook until most of the liquid has reduced, another 3 to 4 minutes. Toss in the Swiss chard leaves, stir to combine and season with salt, to taste. When the leaves have wilted but still look vibrantly green, taste for seasoning. Reseason if needed (it probably will). Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.
• It's spring greens!

BRAISED SWISS CHARD WITH BACON AND HOT SAUCE

Steps:

• Remove ribs and stems from Swiss chard leaves. Cut in half lengthwise, then slice crosswise into 2" pieces; set aside. Tear leaves into large pieces; set aside.
• Combine vinegar, hot sauce, and brown sugar in a small bowl, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Set sauce aside.
• Heat oil in a large pot over medium. Cook bacon, stirring often, until lightly browned and crisp, 7-10 minutes. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5-8 minutes. Add garlic and reserved chard stems; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until stems are crisp-tender, 7-10 minutes. Add reserved chard leaves a handful at a time, letting them wilt slightly before adding more. Add sauce and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper if needed.

BRAISED SWISS CHARD WITH RAISINS AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Tear Swiss Chard leaves into medium pieces.
• In large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
• Stir red onion in and saute for about 5 minutes or until the red onion slices are soft.
• Turn heat up to medium-high heat; add raisins and pine nuts, stir to toast the nuts.
• Add swiss chard, give it a couple of stirs to incorporate it with the other ingredients. If you are using the spinach, add it at this point instead of the Swiss Chard.
• Add water and cover the pan so the swiss chard will wilt. Usually takes about 3 to 4 minutes for this to happen. Even if you are using the spinach that you have cooked, cooled and strained of extra water - DON'T SKIP THIS STEP WITH YOUR PRE-COOKED, STRAINED SPINACH - if you skip this with your spinach, the texture will be "gummy." Trust me - I tried it.
• Put individual servings on plates, use salt and pepper to your taste and then, (my favorite part) - sprinkle with balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar.