Swiss Chard and Kale Recipes

Sweet and Sour Swiss Chard

One bunch of swiss chard, cleaned and torn into

                                                 bite sized  pieces

One medium onion, sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Sauté the onion in the oil until it is golden.  Add the swiss chard and stir fry for 3-4 minutes.  Mix the vinegar and sugar together in a bowl.  Pour this onto the chard and onion mixture and stir well.  Heat through before serving.

Tuscan Greens with Raisins 

·  One pound of Swiss Chard or Kale, rinsed and torn

·  Handful of raisins

·  Olive oil

·  Toasted pine nuts

·  Salt to taste

Pre-soak a handful of raisins in very hot water for 30 minutes. Saute the greens and raisins  together in three tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy skillet for three minutes. Season with salt and sprinkle with lightly toasted pine nuts.

Kale Chips

1 bunch of kale, washed, dried, and torn into bite size pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Toss kale with olive oil.  Make sure all leaves get a coating of the oil.  Place in a single later on an oiled baking sheet.  Sprinkle with salt.  Cook in the oven for about 12-15 minutes.  Remove crisp pieces as they get crispy and allow the remaining kale chips to also get crispy.

Chard Lasagna 

Here’s a quick and healthy way to make lasagna. Omit the noodles. Place several large leaves of Swiss Chard in the bottom of an oblong pan, then alternate layers of filling and chard, ending with a thin layer of filling topped with bread crumbs. Good ingredients for fillings include sautéed onions, Greek olives, sautéed mushrooms, pine nuts, crumbled bacon, ham or sausage and, to bind it all together, tomato paste, mozzarella, Parmesan and ricotta cheese. Bake 45 minutes at 350°F.

Sauteed Kale

One or two bunches of Kale, washed and dried and chopped

Olive oil

Garlic

Heat oil, toss in kale and turn for 2-3 minutes, longer if kale is more on the mature side.  Add garlic in the last minute of cooking, continuing to turn.

Noodles with Kale

1 large bunch of kale, cleaned, trimmed, and sliced thinly

12 oz. Noodles like soba, spaghetti or fetticcini

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Put a large pot of water on to boil.  When it boils, add noodles and cook for about 5 minutes.  Add kale and stir.  Continue cooking until noodles are done and kale is tender, about three more minutes.  Drain and return to pot.  Add last three ingredients and toss.  Serve hot or at room temperature.

Chard and Cheddar Custard

8 oz. fresh chard leaves, stemmed and chopped coarsly (3 cups, packed)

1 cup heavy cream

4 large egg yolks

1 cup shredded sharp cheese

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly butter a casserole dish.  Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add the chard and cook until tender, about five minutes.  Drain and rinse under cold water.  Squeeze out the excess moisture from the chard.

Whisk the cream and yolks in a large bowl until well combined.  Stir in the chard, cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  Pour into the casserole dish.  Place in a large roasting pan and add enough hot water to come about halfway up the side of the casserole.  Bake until set when given a light shake, about 30 minutes.  Serve.

Twice-Baked Potatoes with Savory Green Sauce

6 large potatoes, scrubbed and poked with a fork

3 tablespoons butter

½ cup milk or half-and-half

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 cloves garlic peeled

½ cup sour cream

1 teaspoon prepared horseradish

2 cups baby kale or chard, washed, chopped and dried

Bake potatoes in a 450 degree oven for about one hour until tender.  Cut each potato in half lengthwise, and scoop out the flesh into a bowl, leaving potato skin shells.  Mash the potato flesh with the butter and milk, and season with the salt and pepper.  Refill the shells, and, if necessary return to the oven to keep warm.

In the meantime, make the sauce.  Fit a food processor with the metal blade.  With the machine running, drop the garlic through the feed tube to mince the garlic.  Add the sour cream and greens and process until the greens are pureed.  Pour the sauce evenly over the very hot potato halves.  Serve.