I was introduced to Swiss chard by Julia Child. I’ve forgotten now which cookbook, but she sautéed the stems in butter with shallots, then added the chopped leaves. A little more sautéing and then a cream sauce with Gruyere poured over the top and everything stuck in the oven to brown. At least that’s how I remember the recipe. The key points were to cook the stems first as they need longer to become tender, and of course everything’s better with butter, shallots and cheese. Right?
Here’s a simpler way to combine Swiss chard and cheese. The recipe idea comes from Moore Farm and Friends. A perfect side dish when you’re already cooking on the grill.
Ingredients:
12 large Swiss chard leaves 1 package fresh mozzarella, sliced into 12 pieces extra virgin olive oil
Preparation:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare a bowl of ice water and place it to the side of your stove. Plunge chard, 2 or 3 leaves at a time, into the boiling water and cook until wilted, about 10 seconds. Remove chard from boiling water and immediately immerse it in the ice water. Remove from water and dry with paper or kitchen towels. Repeat with remaining leaves.
Preheat your grill.
Place leaves on working surface. Cut out the thickest part of the stem, no more than halfway up the leaf. Place a slice of mozzarella on each leaf, drizzle it with olive oil, and fold the leaf tightly around the mozzarella, making a bundle. Grill 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until lightly charred. Serve immediately.