Servings: 8 cups
Tools Used in this Recipe
- Chef Knife
- large cutting board
- salad spinner to wash chard
- wok style pan or large sautee pan
- flat edge spatula (wooden works well)
- tongs
- grater for nutmeg
Ingredients
- 1 large bunch Swiss Chard washed and drained about 15–20 Stalks
- 1 small red onion finely diced (1/2 cup)
- 4 garlic cloves minced (about 2 Tbls)
- 1/2 cup plus 2–3 Tbls vegetable stock or water, divided
- 2 Fuyu persimmons ripe but still hard. 1 persimmon julienned (cut strips about 1/4in x 1in); 1 persimmon cut into 1/4in thick wedges for garnish (optional)
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper or freshed cracked from whole peppercorns
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg or fresh grated whole nutmeg
- 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds optional for garnish
- 1/4 cup toasted walnuts optional for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the Swiss chard (photos #1–6): Cut the leaves off of the stems. Cut the stalks crosswise (against the fiber) into 1/8 to 1/4 inch slices; chiffonade cut the leaves—stack a few leaves at a time, roll them up lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/2in ribbons; then cut the other direction so the ribbons aren’t too long to fork up when plated. Repeat with the rest of the leaves.
- Heat the pan to medium with 2–3 tablespoons of water or broth. While the pan is heating you can continue to dice the onions and mince the garlic. When the water or broth starts to boil, add the diced onions and let sit until they pick up some color and even stick a little to the bottom of the pan, then stir when they pick up some color. (photo #7).
- Add the minced garlic, let sit about 30 seconds to 1 minute, then stir in with the onions. Add a tablespoon or 2 of vegetabe stock or water to deglaze the pan to lift the onion and garlic that may be stuck on the bottom (photo #8).
- Stir in the stems and let cook about 5–10 minutes stirring and adding a little stock if the pan is dry. They should be still a little crunchy, but softened a little (al dente) before adding the leaves (photo #9).
- Add in the 1/2 cup of vegetable stock or water and allow to come to a boil.
- Start adding a few cups of the leaves at a time (photo #10) allowing to wilt just slightly then turn over with tongs before the next addition of leaves so there is room in the pan. Toss gently with tongs about every 1–3 minutes (photo #11).
- The persimmons can be peeled and cut while the leaves are cooking (see photos #12–14). Cut off the hard stem part and peel the skin. Remove the hard center if there is one. Some persimmons are tender all the through, some have a hard core and some have seeds. Julienne cut the persimmons.
- When the Swiss chard leaves and stems are cooked almost to the tenderness you like, add in the persimmon slices (photo #15) and sprinkle with the cinnamon, black pepper and nutmeg (photo #16) and mix in with the leaves and allow to finish cooking, about 2 minutes more.
- Garnish with the persimmon wedges, pomegranate seeds and toasted walnuts.