Chard the Swiss for Deep Pink Rice
November 03, 2005
All hail the fall! Autumn vegetables are in full season, including squash, parsnips, endive, mushrooms, cauliflower, and of course swiss chard. Swiss chard is a leafy vegetable and looks like a cross between spinach and rhubarb. Chard can be served in the style of spinach, but it also goes well in other dishes too. This dish was invented in my kitchen today so I can confidently say that it was good and surprisingly filling.
You will need:
- 1 a bundle of rainbow Swiss chard (try to get the organic kind because the leaves tend to be greener),
- 1/4 c sliced white onion,
- 2 garlic,
- piquin pepper,
- 1 can garbanzo beans (a.k.a. chickpeas),
- 2 diced carrots,
- 1 c white wine,
rest of this recipe is optional if you just want the greens
-1 can of whole tomatoes,
-1 c vegetable stock,
- parsley, salt, pepper.
Optional ingredient: fennel.
This is a 2 dish meal, you need a large pan, and a small pot to cook rice (or do as I do by cooking rice in a rice cooker)
Step One: Get your rice cooking. I use white rice, generally portions are 1 c rice to 2 c of water, dash of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 1/2 hour (don't peek, this will ruin your rice, but don't burn it either!).
Step Two: In a large skillet, sautee 2 cloves of garlic, 1/4 onion (sliced), 2 carrots (thinly sliced), 1 crushed piquin pepper, 4 tbsp olive oil together on medium heat (if you want to add fennel, slice it up thin and add it now). Cook this for about 4 minutes, add one can of drained chickpeas. Cook for another 2 minutes, add 1 c of wine and squeeze 1/2 lemon into pan. Cook this for another 4 minutes so alcohol cooks off.
Step Three: Open the can of whole peeled tomatoes. (this makes 4 servings when you use a large can, (1 lb). Take out each tomato and cut it up. Add tomatoes and juice from can to the pan. Chop up handful worth of parsley and add to the pan, simmering through. Add 1 cup of vegetable stock, simmering while the rice cooks.
Step Four: Wash the chard and give it a rough chop. Add the chard about 2 minutes before serving. The chard needs only to wilt in the pan. Stir this around, adding salt and pepper to flavor.
Step Five: When rice finishes cooking, place rice down in bowl and then serve the chard tomato mixture on top. The mixture will turn the rice a vibrant pink.
Serve and enjoy.
Labels: garbanzo beans, rice, swiss chard
