Swiss Chard Tahini Dip Recipes

MUTABBAL SILIK (CHARD-TAHINI DIP)

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Remove the tough ends of the chard stalks and reserve for another use. (It's okay for some stems to remain.)Rinse the chard and blanch it in boiling water for about 2 minutes or until tender. The leaves should pluck easily from the stalks but still hold together. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Squeeze well with your hands to remove excess water.
• Chop the chard and add it to a food processor along with the garlic, lemon juice and zest, salt, and oil to make a smooth paste. Blend at medium speed until the leaves form small pesto-like flecks. Drizzle in the tahini and pulse until it's a uniform pale green color. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Adjust the salt and lemon juice to taste.
• When ready to serve, scoop the chard mixture onto a serving plate, drizzle it with the oil, and garnish with the sumac and Aleppo pepper.

SWISS CHARD-TAHINI DIP

Steps:

• Remove ribs and stems from Swiss chard leaves and finely chop. Tear leaves into small pieces. Set both aside separately.
• Heat 1/3 cup oil in a large pot over medium-low. Cook reserved ribs and stems, stirring often and adding a splash of water if they start to brown, until tender, 5-7 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add reserved chard leaves by the handful, letting them wilt before adding more; cook, tossing, until all the leaves are wilted and tender, 10-12 minutes total. Let cool. Squeeze excess liquid from mixture into a measuring glass. (You should have about 1/2 cup liquid.)
• Place Swiss chard mixture and 1 Tbsp. cooking liquid in a food processor and add tahini, lemon juice, and 1/3 cup oil. Season with salt and process, adding more cooking liquid if needed, until dip is creamy and only speckles of chard remain. This could take up to 5 minutes. Season with more salt if needed.
• Transfer dip to a serving bowl and drizzle with more oil. Serve with flatbread and lemon wedges.
• Do Ahead
• Dip can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.

SWISS CHARD STALK AND TAHINI DIP

Steps:

• Steam the chard stalks about 15 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain well, and allow to cool. Place in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Puree, stopping the machine from time to time to scrape down the sides.
• In a mortar, mash the garlic with 1/2 teaspoon salt until you have a smooth paste. Add to the chard stalks. Process until smooth. Add the tahini, and again process until smooth. With the machine running, add the lemon juice and salt to taste. Stop the machine, taste and adjust seasonings.
• Transfer the dip to a wide bowl. It will be a little runny (unless the tahini you used was thick) but will stiffen up. Drizzle on the olive oil and serve.

SWISS CHARD IN TAHINI SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring the water to a boil in a medium pot, and add the Swiss chard ribs. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. remove the ribs and drain well.
• Place the ribs in a food processor, and finely chop. Add the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and salt, and blend well.
• Spread the blended mixture(silek) on a large, shallow plate, and garnish with the parsley. Sprinkle with the olive oil, and serve cold.

CHARD STALK, CHICKPEA, TAHINI AND YOGURT DIP

Steps:

• Steam chard stalks over 1 inch water until tender when pierced with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well in a strainer for 10 minutes. Place in a food processor fitted with the steel blade, along with chickpeas. Purée, stopping the machine from time to time to scrape down the sides.
• In a mortar, mash garlic with 1/2 teaspoon salt until you have a smooth paste. Add to chard stalks and chickpeas. Process until smooth. Add tahini, yogurt and cumin and process until smooth. With machine running, add lemon juice, olive oil and salt to taste. Stop machine, taste and adjust seasonings.
• Transfer dip to a wide bowl. It will probably be runny but will thicken. Serve with pita and/or crudités.