Sauteed Chard (simply delicious!)

This is a simple recipe that is almost impossible to go wrong. Chard is highly nutritious and considered one of the healthiest vegetables out there.  It has bitter taste that fades with cooking; thus giving its distinctively robust flavor and texture.  I was surprised to find out how easy it is to cook chard and you can be as creative as you want by adding or changing things to the recipe.  Feel free to experiment by adding bits of ham, beans, or parmesan cheese and try different wine or sake.  You may remove the butter and olive oil mix and use regular cooking oil instead. The end result still tastes great.  Even my son who is not particularly fond of vegetables enjoy this sauteed chard.

Chard is great with fish or beef steak or pasta.  I added parmesan cheese on this serving; giving more zing to the final flavor.

 

 Ingredients:

• Chard (white Swiss chard or rainbow chard)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 diced onion (red or yellow onion is fine)
• 1/2 cup of white wine (cooking wine or sake also works)
• 1 fresh lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese (optional)

Direction:

1. Chop the leaves and stem separately.  Cut the stem into 1/8-inch or smaller pieces.
2. Melt butter and olive oil together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion. Stir gently until fragrant (1-2 minutes). 
3. Add the stems and the wine. Lower the heat. Simmer and cover for 5 minutes to soften the stem
4. Stir in the leaves and cover for another 5 minutes or until the the leaves are wilted and no longer bitter.
5. Add lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper if needed.
6. (optional) Garnish with fresh Parmesan cheese