Greens, greens, greens. In my book, nearly any kind of green is good but for those who are a bit less *cruciferous in their leanings, greens with a little fat, salt and acid are basically the way to go which is precisely what Southern Style greens are all about. For lighter dishes like fish and poultry, rainbow chard or Swiss chard works really well. Less dense than collard greens, it cooks up quickly and its strong, bitter flavor is actually a little like rhubarb. The flavor quick and refreshing, eating it is kind of a “knock you into your senses” experience. I like that. If you like red pepper, go easier on it with these than with collards, meaning, use maybe 1/4 of what you normally would. Also, there’s no need for bacon or ham hocks since the fat just dampens the zing. A little butter goes a long way with these. Think light and bright and zing.
Ingredients:
2 bunches rainbow chard
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter, salted
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ fresh lemon
salt and red or black pepper to taste
Method:
1. Wash and pat dry. Chops off the ends and slice the inner stem away from the leaves. Chop stems into quarter inch pieces. Chiffonade the leaves.
2. Heat canola oil over medium high heat in a large, non-reactive sauté pan. You will need a lid.
3. Add collard stems.
4. Sauté a minute or two and then cover for one minute.
5. Add chard leaves. Add garlic. Sauté for two minutes.
6. Using a reamer, squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the contents of the pan. Cover and cook until chard is wilted, about 3-5 minutes. Don’t overcook. The larger veins of the leaves should be bright red (see pic).
7. Add butter and olive oil. Toss to combine.
8. Salt and pepper to taste.
*I know chard is not “cruciferous.”
Well until next time…
Happy Eating! Now go eat your greens!
