Easy Italian Red Chard Food

RED CHARD AND CARAMELIZED ONIONS

Steps:

• In a cast iron skillet, cook onions in olive oil over medium-high heat until they begin to brown. Stir in brown sugar, and continue cooking for a few minutes.
• When onions are brown and tender, stir in chard and olives. Cook until chard is slightly wilted. Stir in capers and salt, and continue cooking until chard is completely wilted, about 3 minutes. Season with black pepper and squeeze lemon over the top.

ITALIAN-STYLE SWISS CHARD

Steps:

• Wash the Swiss chard and cut into 1 inch strips. Separate the thick and tough stalk sections from the upper leafy strips.
• Bring the water and 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil in a large saucepan.
• Cook the stalk sections in the salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Stir in the leafy strips and cook until the leaves are wilted and the stalks are fork tender, about 6 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a large skillet over medium heat until aromatic, about 3 minutes. Add the drained Swiss chard, cook and stir for 2 minutes; season with salt to taste.

SEARED RED CHARD

Steps:

• Make sure your greens are very dry before preparing recipe. Also, wash and chop them when you come in from market, then they are ready for you to cook up even quicker.
• Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and toss 2 minutes, then add chard in bunches and keep it moving as it wilts up a bit - you are just searing it up. The greens should remain crisp and crunchy. Wilting them all and searing them up should take no more than 3 to 4 minutes. Season the greens with nutmeg and salt and pepper, to taste. Douse the pan with a little vinegar and remove from heat. Toss to cook off vinegar and serve the greens hot.

RED CHARD AND RICE

Steps:

• Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a saucepot over medium heat. Add the bacon, cook 2 minutes, then add the garlic and stir 1 minute. Add the chard and season with a little nutmeg, salt, pepper, and paprika. When the chard is wilted add the rice and stir 1 minute more. Add the stock or water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pot. Cook 15 to18 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Fluff with a fork and serve.

SAUTEED SWISS CHARD (DON'T BE AFRAID!!!)

Steps:

• Melt butter and oil in heavy large pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and crushed red pepper.
• Sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add swiss chard; stir to coat.
• Cover and cook until tender (stirring occasionally) about 8 minutes.
• Squeeze juice from 1/2 lemon onto chard.
• Season to taste with salt.
• Enjoy!

RICOTTA AND RED CHARD CANNELLONI

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add chard; toss until wiled and almost tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer mixture to large bowl; cool 10 minutes. Mix in ricotta and 1 cup Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.
• Spread 3/4 cup sauce over bottom of 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Place 1 lasagna noodle on work surface. Spread 1/3 cup filling over noodle. Starting at 1 short side, roll up noodle jelly roll style. Place filled noodle, seam side down, in prepared dish. Repeat filling and rolling remaining lasagna noodles. Arrange in dish. Pour remaining sauce over cannelloni. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate. Uncover; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before continuing.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover dish loosely with foil. Bake cannelloni until heated through, about 45 minutes. Let stand uncovered 10 minutes. Serve, passing remaining 1 1/2 cups Parmesan.

ITALIAN STYLE SWISS CHARD

Steps:

• Trim stem ends of chard. Thinly slice stems crosswise up to base of leaves; set slices aside. Reserve a few whole leaves to line serving dish; coarsely chop remaining leaves.
• In a 6 to 8 quart pan over medium high heat, stir oil, garlic and capers until garlic is slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add chard stems; stir until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in chopped leaves, part at a time if pan if full, cover and cook until wilted, about 4 minutes.
• Mix in vinegar; season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish a serving dish with reserved chard leaves; spoon greens along side.

SAUTEED RED SWISS CHARD WITH GARLIC

Steps:

• Cut stems and center ribs away from Swiss chard leaves. Slice stems and center ribs thin and reserve. Chop leaves coarse and reserve separately.
• In a 10- to 12-quart heavy kettle heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté reserved stems and ribs, stirring, until crisp-tender. Add garlic and sauté, stirring, until garlic is fragrant. Add reserved leaves with water clinging to them and cook, turning with tongs, until wilted. Add 1/2 cup water and cook, covered, over moderate heat until leaves are tender, about 4 minutes. Season chard with salt and pepper. Chard may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.