Thursday, May 1, 2008

Sauteed Swiss Chard

from Bon Appétit

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • pinch of dried crushed red pepper
  • bunch Swiss chard, stems trimmed, leaves cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
    Melt butter with oil in heavy large pot over medium-low heat. Add garlic and crushed red pepper. Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chard; stir to coat. Cover; cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Transfer to bowl and serve.

3 comments:

Whole Earth Community Supported Agriculture said...

Hi Sharon - Thought of Baxter Black's beans when we picked up the black favas yesterday - and told Helen about this charming
way to present beans as a necklace - wouldn't it be fun to pluck off the beans and berries one at a time???

From Baxter Black's Horseshoes, Cowsocks and Duckfeet

Beans a la Black - A Recipe for Trouble

Speak to me of the humble Bean,
Of Milagro, of Jack and the stalk.
Whose bold contribution has earned them a place In the footnote of history's crock.

Recognized by poets, painters, bards and the literary gliitterati such as Shakespeare, who said,
"A bean by any other name would still ..."

If a bean were consumed in the forest and no one heard it, would it still make a sound?

One small bean for man, one giant bean burrito for mankind. --Armstrong

Gold, frankincense, and pinto beans.

I never met a bean I didn't like. -- Lyndon Beans Johnson

A fool and his bean are soon parted. -- Anonymous

Quoth the raven, "Refried beans." --- Poe

Hell hat no fury like a bean turned bad. -- Congreve

Down thru the ages, the humble bean has been treated as
the blue-collar worker of the menu. The landscape on the
plate, the flannel sheets for the plump weenie to lay its head.
Always there, usually unnoticed like rice in China, cows in
westerns, and duplicity in Congress. It has assumed the sup-
porting role, never asking to carry the ball, ride Trigger, get
the girl, or have a speaking part. Deferring always to the filet,
fajita, or French onion soup.

And, even though it is a famous food in its own right, it is a
frijole fame...like owning the most expensive Ford Escort.

Thus, to rectify this culinary snobbery, I offer my recipe for Beans a la Black:

1. Purchase l/2 pound dried beans.
2. Select 22 blemish-free beans.
3. Boil till soft; discard one bean over left shoulder.
4. With needle and thread, string them like beads,interspersing with capers, raspberries and pearl onions.
5. Garnish with chili powder and lime juice.
6. Tie the fondue necklace loosely around the throat of a loved one, allowing the center bean to dangle in the angle of Louis*.
7. Dine, then relax and enjoy the postprandial 21-bean salute.

Whole Earth Community Supported Agriculture said...

The fava beans from yesterday's harvest were new to us. I was despairing about the labor intensive preparation, but after I finally removed the outer skin and simmered them down to a puree, the beans are delicious!! I think I'll use them like hummus on a cracker. It's very good.

I'm glad that you suggested joining the Whole Earth co-op. We are enjoying the fresh veggies a lot.
Helen

Whole Earth Community Supported Agriculture said...

Hi Sharon,

Using young celery leaves is a new experience for me. As soon as I got home, I cleaned the veggies and
decided to use the chard, celery, and green onions right away. I had visions of a great vegetable soup and started out with chicken broth and chopped Costco carrots in an electric wok set up in the garage so I wouldn't heat up the cooled house on this 110 degree day. Along the way, a friend's homegrown eggplant,
zucchini and tomatoes were added. What a wonderful aroma. The strong fragrance of fresh young
celery was unmistakable. Two cubed veggie burgers, garlic from last week and cooked frozen quinoa were
the last to tumble into the bubbling wok. Such wonderful smells.

The vegetable medley was garnished heavily with your chopped purple green onion leaves and shredded mozarella cheese. Best dinner since last week's treats.

Thanks so much for working in the heat, harvesting your veggies and sharing them with us.

Aloha, Patty