Wilted Chard Recipes

WILTED CHARD WITH BACON AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Place a double layer of paper towels on a heat resistant plate. Heat a large heavy pot with a cover over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until bacon is crisp and brown, stirring occasionally. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and place on the prepared plate with the paper towel to drain.
• Discard all but 1 Tablespoon bacon grease from pot. With pot over medium heat, add the butter and allow pan to reheat. Add the onion slices and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are translucent with browned edges. Add garlic to pan and cook for two minutes, stirring constantly.
• Add vinegar to the pan, stirring to scrape up browned bits. Cook until liquid is reduced by half. Add chard and lightly sprinkle with salt. Stir to combine ingredients. Cover to allow chard to wilt for about 30 seconds.
• Uncover and stir, then replace lid for about 30 seconds. Repeat until chard is wilted as desired. Stir in reserved bacon. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

WILTED SWISS CHARD

Steps:

• Remove the stalks from the leaves: Hold the leaf in one hand, and gently pull out the thick stalk with the other. Cut the stalks into 2-inch-long pieces. Stack the leaves, and cut them crosswise into 4-inch-wide strips.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet set over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, and cook just until golden. Remove and reserve the garlic. Add the stalks. Cook, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes to soften slightly. Add 3 tablespoons water, cover, and steam until firm but tender, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Add leaves, cover, and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the reserved garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

WILTED CHARD WITH PICKLED RED ONIONS

Steps:

• For the onions: bring a kettle of water to a boil. Place onion slices in a colander, and pour boiling water over. In a bowl, combine remaining ingredients, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add onions, submerging them by placing a plate on top; if more liquid is needed, add equal amounts of vinegar and water. After about 15 minutes, onions will turn bright pink. (Recipe can be made to this point and refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
• For chard: bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut stems off chard, and set aside; slice leaves across into wide ribbons. Working in batches if necessary, boil leaves until tender but not mushy, 3 to 7 minutes. Boil stems separately. Drain in colander.
• To cook, heat oil in a wide skillet. Add garlic cloves and chard leaves and stems, and heat through, turning to coat evenly with oil. When hot, transfer to a serving dish, and top with some pickled onions, garnishing with peppercorns. Pass more onions at table.

HEIRLOOM TOMATO CONCASSé WITH WILTED SWISS CHARD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes with their juices, garlic, salt, vinegar, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and half the basil. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes or longer. Stir, taste, adjust salt and add pepper.
• Meanwhile, wilt chard by blanching in boiling salted water for about a minute or by steaming above 1 inch of boiling water for about 2 to 3 minutes, flipping the bunch top to bottom using tongs halfway through. Transfer to a bowl of cold water, drain and squeeze out excess water, taking up the chard by the handful. Chop coarsely.
• Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chard and heat through, stirring, until coated with oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove to a platter or to plates, spoon on the tomato sauce, sprinkle t remaining basil over the top and serve.

WILTED CHARD WITH SHALLOTS AND VINEGAR

Steps:

• Cut Swiss chard stems into very small pieces. Tear leaves into 2" pieces and rinse well (you'll want some water still clinging to the leaves).
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add chard stems, shallots, and garlic and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are starting to soften but haven't taken on any color, about 2 minutes. Add chard leaves, season with salt, and cook, tossing occasionally, until leaves are tender and have released some liquid, about 3 minutes (stems will have a bit of crunch). Mix in vinegar; taste and season with more salt if needed.

WILTED CHARD WITH BUTTER AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat, then add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds.
• Add the wet chard to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes until tender. Season well, then serve.

WILTED SWISS CHARD WITH GARLIC AND SOY NUTS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add Swiss chard and cook 3 to 5 minutes, until wilted. Season with salt and black pepper.
• Remove from heat and garnish with soy nuts.

WILTED CHARD SALAD

Steps:

• Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until brown and nearly crisp, about 4 minutes. Add the shallots and cook until soft, about one minute.
• Add the mustard, sugar and cider vinegar and cook, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Add the olive oil and stir well to incorporate.
• Add the chard and cook, tossing well, until it begins to wilt, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and serve hot.