C is for Chard... and Cauliflower

Okay, so I personally have never had Chard, but I am really interested in trying it. So, if you dare... play along and try out one of these recipes...

Wilted Chard (from Food Network)

• 2 1/2 pounds swiss chard
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar, plus more to taste
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 cup chicken stock
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fill a large bowl with cold water. Trim and discard the last 2 inches of the chard stems. Add leaves to water. (If the greens are very dirty wash them in several changes of water.) Lift the greens from the water, and put them in a colander to drain. Roughly chop the greens.

In a large Dutch oven or tall sided skillet over medium heat, cook the onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, cider vinegar and nutmeg for about 2 minutes. Add the greens in batches, stirring each batch as they wilt, before adding more. Add 1 cup chicken stock and cook, covered, stirring once or twice, until tender, about 10 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with vinegar, salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately.

Swiss Chard and Potato Cake (from Whole Foods Market)

1 tablespoon butter 
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped 
3 medium russet, white, or yellow finn potatoes, thinly sliced 
Salt and pepper to taste 
1 bunch Swiss chard, thick stems discarded, leaves coarsely chopped 
1 cup grated Jarlsberg or Gruyere cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat butter and oil in a (10-inch) seasoned cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onions and cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Spread out onions evenly in the bottom of the skillet and remove skillet from heat. 

Arrange a third of the potatoes in a single layer on top of the onions in the bottom of the skillet, sprinkle with salt and pepper, top with a third of the chard and scatter a third of the cheese over the top. Repeat the process to layer the ingredients two more times, ending with the cheese. 

Cover skillet tightly with a lightly oiled piece of aluminum foil and bake until potatoes are easily pierced with the tip of a knife, about 1 1/4 hours. Gently remove foil then return skillet to the oven and bake until cheese is bubbling and browned on top, about 15 minutes more. Set aside to let rest briefly, then slice into wedges and serve.

Swiss Chard with Tomatoes, Feta, and Pine Nuts (from Whole Foods Market)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 
1 small yellow onion, sliced 
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 
1 bunch Swiss chard, stems and leaves chopped separately, divided 
Sea salt and ground black pepper 
2 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth, vegetable broth or water 
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes or 1 tomato, cored and chopped 
2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled 
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

Heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and chard stems and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Cover and cook 5 minutes more. Uncover, add chard leaves, salt, pepper and broth and cook, covered, until chard leaves are bright green and tender, about 5 minutes more. Remove from heat and gently stir in tomatoes. Scatter cheese and pine nuts over the top and serve.

Cauliflower 'Mashed' Potatoes (from Cook Yourself Thin on Lifetime TV)

1/2 large head cauliflower, broken into florets 
1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, quartered lengthwise and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1/2–3/4 cup low-fat milk
Salt
Pepper
1 tablespoon butter
2 scallions, chopped

Place the cauliflower in a steamer basket, set over boiling water, cover, and steam 15 minutes. Transfer to a food processor, add the buttermilk and 1/4 cup of the milk, and puree until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, place potatoes in a saucepan and add cold salted water to cover by about 2 inches; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, return to the saucepan and heat over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes to dry. Mash with a potato masher. Add the cauliflower puree, 1/4 cup milk, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir to blend, and heat over medium-low heat, adding more milk as needed for a creamy consistency. Stir in the butter and the scallions.

Cauliflower with Red, Green, and Black Confetti (from Food Network)

• 1 head cauliflower, separated into bite size florets
• Coarse salt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
• 1 large clove garlic, cracked
• 4 anchovy fillets, optional
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 jarred roasted red pepper, drained and diced into small bits
• 16 oil cured olives, drained and chopped into small bits
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley tops, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• Salt and black pepper

Cook cauliflower in 1-inch boiling water covered for 8 to 10 minutes until tender. Drain, sprinkle with salt and return pan to stove top uncovered. Set heat at medium and add oil, garlic, anchovies (optional, unless you are dining with Vicky) and crushed red pepper flakes to the pan. Break up anchovies with the back of a wooden spoon until they melt into oil. Add diced red roasted pepper, chopped olives and parsley to the pan and combine. Add cooked, drained cauliflower to the pan and toss to distribute the red, black and green confetti. Add the red pepper. Season with salt and pepper, to your taste, and serve.

Bon Appetite!