Crispy Swiss Chard Cakes With Mascarpone Creamed Spinach Food

BAKED SWISS CHARD

Steps:

• Put a pan of salted water on to boil and cook the chard stalks for 2 mins until tender. Remove the stalks with a slotted spoon. Add the leaves and cook for 30 secs-1 min. Drain and reserve 200ml of the cooking water. In a saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer, then add the garlic and cook for 2 mins. Whisk in the water, egg yolks and 140g Parmesan, and let them all melt together and bubble for 3 mins.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Add the chard to the saucepan, season, mix well and tip into a greased baking dish. Top with the breadcrumbs, thyme and remaining Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake for 15 mins. Remove the foil and cook for 15 mins more until golden and bubbling.

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.

CHARD CAKES WITH SORREL SAUCE

Steps:

• Make the sauce: In a food processor or a blender, place sorrel, yogurt, garlic, 2 tablespoons olive oil, the mustard and salt to taste; process until it is bright green. Taste and add salt, if desired. Refrigerate until needed.
• Cut woody white stalks from chard leaves. Bring a large pan of water to boil. Add the stalks and simmer for 4 minutes. Then add the leaves, stir and continue simmering for 3 minutes. Drain the chard and allow to cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze out as much water as possible. Chop leaves and stalks roughly and put in a medium bowl.
• In a small skillet, fry pine nuts in 1 tablespoon olive oil for 1 minute, or until light brown. Add nuts and oil to the chard, followed by the cheese, egg, bread crumbs, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. If mixture is very soft and sticky, add more crumbs.
• Pour enough frying oil into a large skillet to come 1/4 inch up the sides. Shape chard mixture into eight patties roughly 2 inches in diameter and 5/8-inch thick. Fry them for about 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Place on paper towels to absorb oil. Serve warm or at room temperature, with sauce on the side.

CREAMED SWISS CHARD WITH ONION, GARLIC, AND NUTMEG

Steps:

• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large saute; pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add chard stems; cook, stirring occasionally, until stems begin to soften, about 7 minutes. Stir in half of the chard leaves and 2 tablespoons water; cook, stirring occasionally, until very tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; cover. Add remaining chard leaves and 2 tablespoons water to pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until very tender, about 15 minutes. Stir into bowl.
• Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour, stirring to avoid forming lumps. Gradually whisk in milk and nutmeg; season with salt and pepper. Raise heat to medium; bring to just below a boil, stirring occasionally; cook 2 minutes more, whisking constantly. Whisk in cream. Pour into chard mixture; stir to combine. Serve immediately.

CREAMED SWISS CHARD

Steps:

• In a large pot, bring water to a boil over medium-high. Gradually add chard and cook until it is just wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a colander to drain, pressing out as much liquid as possible.
• In pot, melt butter. Whisking constantly, add flour and cook 1 minute. Whisking constantly, slowly add milk. Cook, whisking along bottom of pot, until mixture comes to a boil and thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Add chard and stir until coated. Stir in nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.