Recipes

This Week’s Highlighted Recipe:

Stir-Fired Swiss Chard with Pine Nuts and Balsamic Butter

from Fast, Fresh & Green by Susie Middleton

Ingredients:

  • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • ½ tsp dark brown sugar
  • 12 oz Bright Lights Swiss Chard
  • 1 tbsp peanut oil
  • 3 tbsp pine nuts
  • kosher salt
  • 2 tsp finely chopped fresh garlic
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter

Directions:

1) In a small bowl, combine the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and brown sugar.

2) Pull or cut the stems away from the chard leaves. Cut or rip the leaves into 2- to 3- inch pieces and wash and dry them well. Rinse the stems and slice them crosswise into ¼ inch pieces.

3) Heat the peanut oil in a large (12-inch) nonstick stir-fry pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot (it will loosen and spread out), add the pine nuts and cook, stirring almost constantly, until they’re all lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Watch carefully, because they brown quickly. Remove the pan from the heat and use a slotted spoon or spatula to transfer the pine nuts to a heat-proof plate or pan, leaving behind as much fat as possible.

4) Return the pan to the heat, add the chard stems and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they’re shrunken and beginning to brown lightly, about 5 minutes. (They will begin to crackle in the pan as moisture evaporates.) Add the garlic and stir-fry just until fragrant, a few seconds. Add the chard leaves and ½ tsp salt and, using tongs, toss the chard leaves in the pan just until wilted (30 to 45 seconds). Scrape the balsamic mixture into the pan, stir, and remove the pan from the heat. Add the butter and toss and stir until it’s melted. Fold in half of the pine nuts. Transfer the chard (including all of the stems and liquid) to a small serving bowl and garnish with the remaining pine nuts.

Serves 2 to 3

(Sue Middleton has a great blog: sixburnersue.com)

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