Seared Red Chard Recipes

SEARED CHARD

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute the bacon until crisp; remove bacon when crisp and drain all but 1 to 2 teaspoons bacon fat.
• Add the onion to the skillet and cook for a few minutes in the hot fat, toss in the chard, cover pan with a tight fitting lid and steam until the chard wilts, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the vinegar, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste, serve immediately sprinkled lightly with crumbled feta cheese if desired.

SEARED STEAK WITH CHARD SALAD

Steps:

• Put the chard in a bowl. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the bread cubes and season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing, until toasted, 4 to 5 minutes. Add to the chard.
• Add the anchovies to the skillet, mashing them with a whisk. Add the garlic and 2 tablespoons olive oil and cook until the garlic is golden, about 45 seconds. Add the tomatoes and warm slightly, then whisk in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Pour the warm dressing over the chard, toss and set aside to wilt.
• Wipe out the skillet and place over high heat. Sprinkle the steak on both sides with the mint, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet. Sear the steak until browned on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook until browned on the other side, 3 to 4 more minutes for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes.
• Add the feta to the chard salad and toss. Thinly slice the steak and serve with the chard salad.

SAVORY SWISS CHARD

Steps:

• In a large skillet heat extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add the greens to the pan and wilt. Season the greens with nutmeg and smoked sweet paprika or cumin, salt and pepper and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Add the chicken stock and simmer for a few minutes then serve.

GARLICKY SWISS CHARD

Steps:

• Stack chard leaves on top of one another (you can make several piles) and slice them into 1/4-inch strips.
• Heat oil in a very large skillet (or use a soup pot). Add garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté for 30 seconds, until garlic is fragrant. Stir in the chard, coating it in oil. Cover pan and let cook for about 2 minutes, until chard is wilted. Uncover, stir and cook for 2 minutes longer. Season with salt.

STIR-FRIED SWISS CHARD AND RED PEPPERS

Steps:

• In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, and the sesame oil. Combine the salt, pepper and sugar in another small bowl. Have all the ingredients within arm's length of your pan.
• Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok or 12-inch steel skillet over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two in the pan. Swirl in the oil by adding it to the sides of the pan and tilting it back and forth. Add the garlic and ginger, and stir-fry for no more than 10 seconds. Add the chard, and stir-fry for two minutes, until the leaves wilt. Add the red pepper and spring onion or red onion. Turn the heat to high, and stir-fry for one minute, or until the pepper begins to soften. Add the salt, pepper and sugar. Toss together, and add the soy sauce mixture. Stir-fry for two to three minutes until the chard leaves are tender and the stems and red peppers are crisp-tender. Stir in the cilantro, and serve over cooked quinoa, rice or rice noodles.

SAUTEED RED SWISS CHARD WITH GARLIC

Steps:

• Cut stems and center ribs away from Swiss chard leaves. Slice stems and center ribs thin and reserve. Chop leaves coarse and reserve separately.
• In a 10- to 12-quart heavy kettle heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté reserved stems and ribs, stirring, until crisp-tender. Add garlic and sauté, stirring, until garlic is fragrant. Add reserved leaves with water clinging to them and cook, turning with tongs, until wilted. Add 1/2 cup water and cook, covered, over moderate heat until leaves are tender, about 4 minutes. Season chard with salt and pepper. Chard may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.

SEARED SHRIMP WITH CHARD, CHILES AND GINGER

Steps:

• Season shrimp generously with salt. Wash and trim chard, thinly slicing the stems.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil, then add shrimp and sear until lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer shrimp to a plate. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet, let heat for a few seconds, then add garlic, chile peppers, shallot and ginger and sauté until slightly browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in sugar, pepper and salt and cook for 1 minute longer. Stir in chard stems and sauté until they start to soften, about 2 minutes.
• Add the greens to the skillet along with 2 tablespoons water and immediately cover the pan. Keep it covered for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the greens to wilt. Once the greens have cooked down, remove the lid and continue cooking for a few more minutes to allow the water to evaporate. Add the shrimp and any liquid accumulated on the plate and cook just until the shrimp are heated through, about 1 minute longer. Drizzle with the sherry vinegar and gently toss to coat. Serve hot, garnished with the cilantro.

SEARED RAINBOW CHARD WITH LEEKS

Steps:

• Cut stems from chard (if leaves are large, cut out coarse portions of rib), then cut stems crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Stack chard leaves and roll into cylinders. Cut cylinders crosswise to make 1-inch-thick strips of leaves.
• Heat butter and oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté chard stems and leeks with sea salt and pepper to taste, stirring occasionally, until slightly soft, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add chard leaves and continue to sauté, stirring frequently, until wilted. (If greens begin to brown before they wilt, sprinkle with a few drops of water.)