Salsa is a terrific snack. Its primary components are vegetables and its acidity, heat, and natural sweetness satisfy in a guilt-free way. It is no wonder that every grocery store sells so many varieties of salsa. We can walk down the condiment aisle and expect to be able to choose from a variety of roasted, tropical, and green salsas, each one suiting a different menu and mood.

For those savvy to a few tricks in the kitchen, salsa is also appealing because it is so easy to prepare. And the beauty of making fresh salsa is that you can combine the sweet roasted flavor of tomatoes with the soul-appeasing crunch of fresh peppers and onions.

With the recipe below, you will be such a star of your next Cinco de Mayo party with so little effort that you will find yourself trying your own tropical and tomatillo versions of this recipe. When you do , share them with us, because there is always occasion for a good salsa.

Ingredients

• 3 fresh tomatoes
• 2 sweet bell peppers, preferably a some combination of red, orange, or yellow
• 1 sweet white or yellow onion
• 1 jalapeno
• The juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• Salt, to taste

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  Cut your tomatoes into quarters and remove the core.   Toss them in the olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Spread them on a baking sheet and roast for 40 minutes or until they are caramelized and soft.  When you remove the tomatoes from the oven, allow them to cool and then, using a pairing knife, gently remove the skins.  Place in a bowl and gently crush.

Cut your sweet peppers and onions into 1/4 inch dice and place into a mixing bowl.  Finely dice your jalapeno and cilantro and add them to the mixing bowl.  Add the roasted rushed tomatoes and lemon juice.  Season with salt to taste.

Serve with chips or with your favorite Mexican entree.  Yields 3 cups.

I use the term “stew” loosely in titling this recipe. The result is not so much a stew as a braise, as I use whole chicken thighs and the broth is rich and thick. However, I find it to be delicious and satisfying as a stand alone dish, and as I am always chatting with people looking for ways to cut back on carbohydrates, I thought I would offer this as a nice alternative to the chicken breast and broccoli meal.

Beans, often referred to as “slow” carbs, add a lot to a dish that doesn’t include pasta or grains. The fiber and protein aid in long term fullness, and they have a buttery flavor without adding fat. In this recipe, I chose to use cannellini beans as they have a sweet, mild flavor. Black eyed peas (rumored to be lucky) or giant white beans would also be delicious.

Finally, the addition of the eggplant makes this a hearty, thick stew and balances the savory flavor with a smokey sweetness. I cut my eggplant into small cubes and leave the skin on, both for the nutritional value and the color, but if you prefer, you can peel the eggplant before you cut it.  I also added Kale to this dish because I love it and I know it is so good for me.  To be honest, I add kale to just about as many dishes as I can get away with for both of those reasons.

For those of you who can’t do a meal without pasta or grains, throw the stew over your favorite pasta or some brown rice. Or, grab a crusty loaf of sourdough and call it dinner.  Either way, make extra because it’s even better left over.

Ingredients

• 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1 large Italian eggplant, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 3 cups chopped kale
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 4-5 cloves of garlic, peeled and cut into quarters
• 10 oz. crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 28 oz. can chopped tomatoes (or 3 cups chopped fresh tomatoes)
• 1 15 oz. can of cannellini beans (or 2 cups pre-soaked dry beans)
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons chopped basil
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Salt and crushed red pepper to taste

In a heavy-bottom pot with a tight fitting lid (such as a dutch oven), heat the olive oil over medium high heat.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Place it in the hot pot skin side down and do not touch it until the underside is well browned and slides easily in the pot.  Turn and brown on the other side.  Remove from the pan and set aside on a plate lined with a paper towel.

Add the butter, thyme, garlic, and onions.  Reduce the heat to medium and saute the onions until they become translucent and golden, about 7-8 minutes.  Add the cubes of eggplant and mushrooms.  Stir to coat with remaining oil and butter, season well with salt and add red pepper if desired, and then place the lid on the pot.  This will allow the eggplant to steam and cook through without adding more oil to the pan.  Every five minutes or so, remove the lid, give it a stir, and then cover again until the eggplant and mushrooms are soft and moist.

Add the chopped kale and stir well.  Add the wine and, with the lid off, allow it to reduce by at least half.  While the wine is reducing, scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Once the wine has reduced, add the tomatoes, beans, and chicken stock.  Return the chicken thighs to the pot, covering each thigh completely in the liquid.  Cover the pot with the lid, and reduce the heat to low.  Cook on low for 45 minutes to an hour.

After 45 minutes to an hour, the chicken thighs should be tender enough that the meat should slip easily from the bone.  At this point, I like to (carefully) remove them from the cooking liquid, and with tongs and a fork remove the chicken meat from the bones.  I return the chicken meat to the liquid, stir in the chopped basil, and the stew is ready to serve.  Serves 4-6 people.

Everyone loves to eat cookies during the holidays and these will make you very popular.  You can bake them tomorrow and they will still be soft and chewy on Christmas.  I brought them in to work because it was too dangerous to keep them at home, and they were gone before 9am.

If you want to make a cookie that everyone will love, and that is fun to make with kids, here is your winner!  If I were you, I would consider doubling the recipe and bestowing these cookies on all of your most treasured friends, or keeping the extra dough in your fridge to bake at all of your holiday dinners over the next few weeks.

Note:  The recipe below is made with a stand mixture.  However, with plenty of will power and arm strength, it can certainly be made by hand.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 extra-large egg
• 1/4 cup molasses
• Course granulated sugar (for coating cookie dough before baking)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Begin by sifting the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger into a large bowl.

In a stand mixer, beat the eggs and brown sugar together until it becomes light and fluffy.  On low speed, add the molasses and mix until combined.  Slowly, add the flour mixture, about one cup at a time, until it is all combined into the dough.

Place the course sugar in a shallow bowl.  Using a teaspoon, scoop out a heaping spoonful of dough.  Roll into a ball using your palms, and then roll through the sugar.  Place on the baking dish.  Repeat to make the rest of the cookies (makes about 2 dozen).  Leave plenty of room between cookies on the baking sheets, as they will spread out during baking.

Bake for about 8 minutes, or until the cookies have spread and begin to crack slightly on top.  They should still be quite soft, and they will continue to firm as the cool.  Carefully, with a spatula, transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool for at least fifteen minutes (this is the hardest part of this recipe because they will look and smell so delicious).  Store in an air tight container for up to 5 days.

This is a dish of contrast. The bright green of the brussels is beautiful next to the orange squash and the butter-colored mushrooms. The acidity of the vinaigrette balances the sweetness of the butternut squash and the nuttiness of the brussel sprouts. The crispness of the bacon is balanced by the tenderness of the squash and the crunchiness of the occasional hazelnut.

All of this contrast works, however, because this dish encompasses many of the wonderful flavors of Thanksgiving. It makes a wonderful, quick-cooking, bright-flavored side dish that adds color and nutrition to your table. You just might find yourself making it again before the next Turkey Day rolls around.

This recipe is much easier and less stressful if all ingredients are prepared before you begin the cooking process.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
• 1 lb. of brussel sprouts, cleaned and cut in half, lengthwise
• 1/4 lb. Chanterelle or other wild mushrooms, wiped clean and chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lemon
• 1 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 tbsp. dijon mustard
• 3 slices of good bacon, cut into 1 in. pieces
• A handful of hazelnuts, chopped and toasted
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare a large ice bath by filling a large mixing bowl with water and ice.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Salt liberally and add the butternut squash.  Blanch for about three minutes and then add the brussel sprouts.  Blanch for another four minutes and remove from heat.  Immediately strain and place vegetables in the ice bath.

In a large, deep skillet, cook the bacon pieces over medium high heat.  Once the fat is rendered and the bacon is crispy and brown on both sides, remove the bacon and set aside for later on a paper towel.   Then, reserve most of the bacon fat in a bowl to use for the vinaigrette.

Add the olive oil to the hot skillet, and add the brussel sprouts and squash.  Saute for about five minutes, letting the vegetables caramelize.  Add the garlic and the fresh rosemary and thyme.  Add the Chanterelle mushrooms.  Continue to saute for another three minutes, or until the squash is tender, and then remove from the heat.

In a small nonstick skillet, toast the chopped hazelnuts over medium heat.  Stir frequently until the nuts begin to become a light golden-brown.  Do not walk away!  They will burn!

To the bowl with the reserved bacon fat, add the dijon mustard and the juice of the lemon and whisk until the mixture emulsifies.  Poor the vinaigrette over the vegetables, toss or stir well to coat, and serve immediately, topped with the crispy bacon and toasted hazelnuts.

When those first really cold days of the season sneak up on you, it is a little hard to shake off the chill.  I came up with this recipe after a full day at work wishing that I had worn wool socks and boots (instead of no socks and ballet flats) and a warm sweater (instead of a cotton long sleeve shirt).  Why must I be a slave to fashion?  By the time I got home, walked the dog, and made it to the grocery store, I thought I would never feel warm again.  On this kind of day, you have to warm up from the inside out.  You just have to drink tea and eat soup.

As I previously mentioned, I had already worked all day, walked the dog, and gone to the store – I was cold, and hungry, and getting crankier by the minute!  A slow cooked soup was out.  I needed something that would be ready quickly, but would have the same soul-warming effect of my mom’s chicken noodle soup.  To help me achieve this, I turned to ready-to-use canned beans and prepared chicken stock, two ingredients that always help quick-cooking food taste slow.  I also grabbed the hot Italian sausage because I needed heat in both temperature and spice to shake this chill!

The nutritional and delicious recipe below will warm you up, please your doctor, feed an army, and taste even better the next day.  Grab a loaf of your favorite crusty bread and get ready to feel the heat!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. hot Italian sausage
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 3-4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch rings
• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
• A dozen Crimini  mushrooms, sliced
• 4 cups kale, cleaned and roughly chopped
• 8 cups or two containers chicken stock (I prefer organic and sodium free so I can salt to taste)
• 2 15 oz. cans of cannellini beans
• 1/4 lb. bow tie pasta
• 3 tbs. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• Salt and red pepper flakes to taste
• Roughly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese to taste (for garnish)

I a heavy bottom, large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat.  Remove the sausage from its casing and add it to the pot, pressing it flat.  Leave it alone on one side, and then flip it when it is brown.  As the sausage browns on the second side, use a wooden spoon to break it up into bite sized pieces.

Add the onions, carrots, and garlic to the pot.  Season with salt, red pepper (optional), thyme and oregano.  Stir frequently until the vegetables begin to soften, about five minutes. Add the mushrooms and saute for another minute.   Add all of the chicken stock and cover and cook for twenty minutes over medium-low heat.

Add the kale to the soup.  Re-cover and cook for another fifteen minutes.  Strain and rinse the beans.  Add the beans and the pasta and cook until the pasta is al dente, about fifteen more minutes over medium-low heat.  Taste for seasoning.

Serve in big bowls garnished with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and warm, crusty bread.  Feel the warmth and enjoy!

This is a re-post of a classic recipe that is and will always be a part of our household – Aimee’s family Caeser salad recipe. The first time this was made for me, I literally was bowled over by how different this caeser was compared with all those other sub-par caeser’s that I’d eaten in pubs and restaurants over the years. This salad makes you forget all about those other salads and shines as a meal unto itself. I maintain still that it’s the best recipe we’ve ever produced on this blog, so at our 2 year anniversary, I give you it once again – with updated pictures. Enjoy!

Caesar salad is an American staple.  In fact, Caesar salad is probably one of the most predictable menu items, whether you are at a high end restaurant or a local diner.  Even at the grocery store, you are guaranteed at least ten varieties of bottled Caesar dressing.

Somewhere along the line, the standard for Caesars has been lowered.  Often, you end up with wilted romaine overdressed with a  mayonnaise-heavy, salty dressing and stale and dry boxed croutons.  When a Caesar salad is made well, however, nothing satisfies quite like it.  With a little effort, a real Caesar salad and fresh croutons are easy enough to make at home, and are worth every moment of the extra effort.  So put that “Caesar in a Bag” kit back on the shelf, and pick up a few fresh ingredients to make a real Caesar salad.

The Croutons:

Ingredients:

• 3 one inch slices of good, crusty bread, cubed (I recommend sourdough)
• 6 peeled whole cloves of garlic
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a medium sized skillet.  Add the whole cloves of garlic and cook until they are soft and golden brown.

Remove the garlic cloves and reserve for the dressing.  Add the cubes of bread and stir or toss thoroughly to coat with the olive oil.  Cook the croutons in the skillet until they are golden brown on all sides, usually about five minutes.  Stir or toss frequently to prevent them from burning.  At the end, add salt and pepper to taste and toss or stir.  Remove and place on a paper towel to cool before adding to the salad.

Caesar Dressing:

Ingredients:

• 6 cloves of sauteed garlic (reserved from cooking croutons)
• 1 clove of raw garlic
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon of dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise
• The juice of one lemon
• 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire Sauce
• 3-6 anchovy fillets, or anchovy paste, depending on your taste
• 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper

In a large salad bowl, using the back of a fork, smash the sauteed garlic to make a paste.  Add the egg yolk, the Dijon mustard, the mayonnaise, the Worcestershire sauce, and the lemon juice and stir.  Use a garlic press crush the raw clove of garlic and add it to the bowl.  Finely chop the anchovy fillets and add to the bowl.  Add salt and pepper and stir well. Slowly stream in the olive oil as you stir the other ingredients.  The oil should emulsify with the other ingredients, but the dressing will still be a bit chunky.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  I usually taste the dressing with one of the croutons.  Yum!

Wash and dry and entire head of romaine lettuce, torn into bite size pieces.  Add to the bowl with the salad dressing.  Add the croutons and the Parmesan cheese and toss well.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6 people.

As the holiday season approaches, and the invitations to pot-lucks, company parties, and family dinners begin to circulate, we often find ourselves searching our repertoire for crowd-pleasing recipes. I have found that winning dishes for these occasions are those that offer an element of tradition, but also have the ability to surprise us.

This holiday apple tart recipe does just that. It is apple pie’s more sophisticated and better looking older sibling. And the merits don’t end there. The design also allows for a more consistently crisp crust, and is more fool-proof for the novice baker. We have all cut in to an apple pie to find a filling that is too liquid to be eaten with a fork. The open top allows the steam to escape freely, which results in a pleasing, thick, molten filling.

This tart recipe makes a wonderful vehicle for all kinds of dishes. I would recommend trying different fillings. It would be delicious with pears, or with a mixture of apples and berries. Try mixing nuts or raisins in with the fruit. Or, try using a savory pastry crust and using blanched squash, onions and rosemary as your filling.  Once you have the dough making down, your imagination is the limit, and you will never have to stress over what to bring to your in-laws again!

To make the pastry dough:

(Makes enough for two-three tarts, freezes well!)

• 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting, rolling
• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp. good quality cold butter, cut into cubes
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 large eggs
• a splash of milk

Sift the flour and the sugar into the food processor.   Add the butter and pulse until the mixture becomes crumbly and fine.  Add the lemon zest.  Pour in the eggs and the milk.  Pulse for a few more seconds until the mixture comes together.   Flour your work surface and gently work the dough together until it is in a ball.  Do not overwork.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

To make the filling:

• 4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. lemon zest plus 1 tsp. juice
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• (Optional) 2 tablespoons sprinkling sugar
• 1 egg white mixed with a splash of water for an egg wash

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix all of the above ingredients well, except for the sprinkling sugar and egg white.

Dust your work surface with flour.  Cut your dough into two or three pieces, depending on how large of a tart you want.  Hand roll the cut dough into a ball, and roll out with a rolling pin into a circle that is about 18″ in diameter, turning frequently to make sure it is not sticking.  Sprinkle more flour as necessary.  Trim the sides to make a pretty even circle and place it on the baking sheet.

Pile the filling high in the middle (it will shrink), leaving about 3 inches around the edge.  Fold the edge over the filling, overlapping as necessary, folding and pinching layers to make a tight edge.  Brush  the edge with the egg wash and sprinkle with the sugar.

Bake the tart at 400 degrees until the crust is golden and and the apples are tender, about 55 minutes.  Carefully transfer to a rack to cool.  Slice into wedges and serve with fresh whip cream or ice cream.

When I was a kid, I was an exceptionally good eater.  Perhaps this was due to the amount of time I spent with my mom in the kitchen, watching her create beautiful and aromatic dishes, helping her dice and stir and season.  How could I not eat something that I had just spent the last hour helping to prepare?  This is undoubtedly the reason I was requesting things like grilled sauteed spinach and lamb chops for dinner before I was ever able to even spell these things.  I am grateful to my mom for this.

As sophisticated as my palette was, however, the only food I remember having a real gripe with was eggplant.  I think this is a pretty common ingredient for a child not to like, but lately I have heard many adults claim they, too, dislike the flavor of eggplant.  The reason for this, I am certain, is that, in this country especially, not everyone knows much about what to do with these big, strangely colored and even more strangely textured vegetable.  And, eggplant is bitter in its raw state.  When an eggplant is not cooked enough, that bitter flavor remains, and sticks with the exposed taste buds long enough to discourage a person from ever eating it again.  I understand!  I, too, was victim to this aversion, but I have since learned that, when prepared properly, eggplant is the incredibly sweet and mild in flavor, and I believe that if first tasted in this form, most people would find it hard to resist.   I now think upon my childhood years with shame, just thinking of how many perfectly good eggplants I turned away from in disgust.

My rule of thumb for eggplant is the softer it becomes, the sweeter and more delectable it is, and this is achieved not by salting, as most people claim, but by steaming.  And this cooking method, which comes from a Moroccan dish I found in Food and Wine magazine, will get you there every time.  So put down the salt shaker for now, as this recipe calls for no pre-salting.   Try instead a new way.  And if you have yet to introduce your kids to eggplant, do them a favor and start here.

Ingredients:

• 2 large eggplants (the big, dark purple ones work best for this recipe)
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 4-6 heirloom tomatoes of mixed shapes, colors, and sizes, chopped (could be substitutes with a can of whole tomatoes, chopped, in winter)
• 4 cloves garlic, finely diced
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tbs. fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 lemon
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Poke your eggplants in a few places with a fork.  Place them in a large, heavy bottomed pot, over medium high heat and cover.  Let them steam this way for twenty to twenty-five minutes on each side, turning once.  When they are soft throughout and the skin is slightly charred, remove them from the pot and place in a colander to drain in the sink for ten minutes or so.  Then, scrape the insides out of the skin, mash with a fork or wooden spoon, and set aside.  You may need to add some water to your pot and return it to the heat to scrape up some of the charred bits of skin before the next step.

Heat the olive oil in the same pot.  Add the onions, and allow them to sweat through for about five minutes, stirring occasionally.  Then, add the garlic, cumin, paprika, cayenne, and salt.  Continue to stir and cook for another three to four minutes or until the onions are translucent.  Add the eggplant and the tomatoes and stir well to combine.   Reduce the heat to low and add the parsley and cilantro.  Taste for salt.

Continue to cook over low heat until the tomatoes are soft and their liquid has evaporated a bit, another ten minutes or so.  Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon and a little bit of chopped parsley if you would like and serve immediately.

This dish is great with rice and is a good compliment to chicken, white fish, or lamb.

There are few treats from Mother Nature that are sweeter and more pleasing than a plum. Plums have such a beautiful balance of sweet and tart, which makes them a refreshing snack all on their own, or a nice addition to a variety of entrees and desserts. I had a surplus of plums on hand from my last visit to the farmer’s market and a pot luck lunch at work to prepare for, and I decided I wanted to make a plum cake. Not only would it promise to be delicious, I liked that it wasn’t a mainstream dish.  I thought it would be sure to impress the coworkers.  Because I was feeding a larger crowd, I went with a full cake, but you could half this recipe and use a pie or round cake dish for fewer servings, but I’ll warn you now that you might regret it.

This cake is prepared in much the same way as a pineapple upside down cake, and can just as easily be made with many different kinds of fruit, including pears, cherries, apples, berries, and peaches, depending on your preference and the time of year. Whatever fruit you choose, this method involves placing it on the bottom of the dish, covering it with a layer of caramel, topping that with cake batter, baking it, and inverting it to serve.  This leaves you with a beautiful presentation, as the fruit is visible as you serve.  I suggest you try your favorite, but the plums really do add a nice tartness and a beautiful color that is both festive and rustic.

The cake batter in this recipe does not call for any baking powder because I find the texture to be a better compliment to the softness and the moistness of the plums.  Let me know what you think!

Ingredients

• 10 plums, black or gold
• 1  1/2 sticks of unsalted butter (12 tbsp), room temp., plus extra for greasing the pan
• 4 extra large eggs, room temp.
• 3 cups of granulated sugar, divided in half
• 2/3 cups milk
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2  1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• Whipped cream or ice cream (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease your oven safe, 9 by 13 inch baking dish.  Cut your plums in half and remove the pits.  Place them cut side down into your baking dish.

In a small nonstick sauce pan, heat 1  1/2 cups of sugar with 1/2 cup water over high heat.  Don’t stir, but swirl the pot around from time to time while it boils until it becomes a dark amber color.  You may do other things while this happens, as long as you don’t leave the kitchen and you keep an eye on it, as it can go from clear to burned quickly.  Pour the caramel over the plums.  It will harden as it hits the baking dish, but it will turn to liquid again when you bake it.

In a kitchen mixer at medium speed, cream the butter and the remaining 1  1/2 cups of sugar until it becomes light and fluffy.  Beat in one egg at a time.  Add the milk, lemon zest, salt, and vanilla and continue to mix until they are well incorporated.  Reduce the mixing speed to low and add a little bit of the flour at a time until it is all incorporated.

Pour the batter over the plums and caramel and smooth it out in an even layer.  Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the cake becomes golden and a cake tester comes out clean.  Cool for 15 minutes and invert onto a large platter or baking sheet.

Serve alone, or with fresh whipped cream or ice cream.  Makes 15-20 servings.  Refrigerate after 24 hours.

For anyone who participates in any kind of farm share or organic food delivery service, as Adrian and I do, you find yourself needing to get creative when you end up with, say, Swiss chard for the 12th week in a row.  I happen to love Swiss chard, not only because it tastes good but also because of its rich nutritional properties.  However, after its ninth or tenth appearance in our box, I grew desperate to find a way to make it appetizing again.  After sauteing it with everything I could think of, rolling it into dolmas, throwing it in pastas, and baking it in quiches, there it was in our box again, and I thought of something:  creamed chard.  Why not?  After all, I love creamed spinach.  It is comforting and a little decadent, but still a solid way to get those vitamins and iron.

Because I also love creamed onions, and I had just gotten some really nice sweet white onions from the farmer’s market, I decided I would incorporate them into this recipe for texture and sweetness.  Although there is butter in this recipe as well as cream, there isn’t that much of either one, but if you are concerned, use olive oil and milk instead.  I am of the philosophy to use the real deal and just eat a little less, but you make the call.  Either way, I am willing to bet that even veggie-phobes could learn to love this dish.

If you prefer, you can make this same dish with spinach, using the exact method below, or even kale, if you blanched it first, since it has a bit more of a bite.  It would also be delicious if you used mushrooms instead of onions.

Ingredients

• 1 large bunch of Swiss chard, stems removed, thoroughly washed and dried, and roughly chopped
• 1 sweet white or yellow onion, sliced thin
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1 tablespoon of flour
• 1/2 cup of cream
• 1/4 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon of finely ground white pepper
• Salt to taste

Heat a large, stainless skillet over medium heat.  Add the butter, the thyme, and the onions and a pinch of salt.  Saute until the onions become soft and translucent, about 6-7 minutes.  Add the garlic and saute another minute or so.  Add the Swiss chard and saute until it wilts, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes.

Add the flour and stir to incorporate for a minute or so.  Then, add the cream and stir well, scraping any cooked bits from the bottom of the pan.  Reduce the heat to low and continue to stir until the cream has thickened to your liking.  Taste for seasoning and serve immediately.  Serves four.