Braised Chard with Olive Oil and Rice
Instructions:
A simple little thing but delicious.The sweetness of the carrots
really comes through, and the reserved olive oil adds a
nice touch. Good with sautéed or roast poultry or meats.
Other vegetables you can use: kale, Belgian endive
(cut in half the long way), bok choy, or leeks.
1 pound chard, washed and trimmed
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 small carrots, roughly chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup white rice
Juice of 1/2 lemon
MAKES: 4 servings
TIME: 50 minutes, largely unattended
- Cut the stems out of the chard leaves. Cut the leaves into wide ribbons and slice the stems; keep the leaves and stems separate.
- Put all but a tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the chard stems and carrots, along with a sprinkling of salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chard is tender, about 15 minutes.
- Add the chard leaves, some salt and pepper, the rice, and 11/2 cups water. Cover, adjust the heat so the mixture simmers, and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the water is absorbed; the mixture should be moist but not soupy.
- Serve hot, at room temperature, or cold. (At this point, you may cover and refrigerate the dish for a day, and then reheat it.) Just before serving, drizzle with the remaining olive oil and the lemon juice.