By popular request, we have another recipe post - all about one of my favourite greens, rainbow swiss chard. These pink, yellow, red, and orange stems, with the deep green leaf, get mega bonus points for style. When not the rainbow coloured variety, the stems are white. This veg belongs in the same family as beets and spinach, and shares that similar earthy taste. Swiss chard is also a nutritional powerhouse - an excellent source of vitamins K, A, and C, as well as a good source of magnesium, potassium, iron, and dietary fibre.
How to prep it:
When you get home from the market, trim the ends. You can place it in a vase of cold water, but usually, the bunches are too large for this to be practical. Instead, wrap the bunch of swiss chard in a cool, damp tea towel (or paper towel), and store it in a plastic bag in the crisper. Be sure to only wash it before you use it.
How to eat it:
Swiss chard is best cooked, however, you can eat it raw in salads (instead of kale). Both the stems and the leaves are edible. The stems need to be cooked longer, so tear the leaf away from the sturdy stem, give them a rough chop and saute until softened. Then add the roughly chopped greens. Hack: stack the leaves, roll them up, and chop.
We typically saute swiss chard with lots of garlic and eat as a side with poached eggs and crunchy sourdough. It’s also one of my favourite additions to soup (both stem and leaf!) - it adds depth and is not as delicate as spinach. I have also used swiss chard in kimchi, in place of cabbage for ‘swiss chard’ rolls, as an excellent addition to a frittata, using the leaves as wraps, in patties (bean or grain-based patties), in salads (lentil, quinoa, or mixed green), and even pasta (just add crumbled sausage, a can of white beans, parm, and olive oil for a quick and hearty meal).
Smoky Saffron Chickpea, Chard and Rice Soup
Smoky Saffron Chickpea, Chard and Rice Soup
Inspired by The First Mess Cookbook by Laura Wright
This soup comes together quickly, in about 35 minutes, feels hearty, and the combination of chickpeas and rice means it is a complete protein. Plus, it’s packed with three veggies that are in season right now - swiss chard, zucchini and parsley.
Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced small
1 stalk celery, small dice (optional)
3+ cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
¼ cup tomato paste
1 medium zucchini, chopped into ½ inch pieces
1 can chickpeas (375ml)
⅓ cup brown rice, rinsed* (see notes)
Pinch saffron threads* (see notes)
5 to 6 cups stock* (see notes)
1 bunch swiss chard, stems and leaves separated and chopped
¼ cup fresh parsley (cilantro or basil works as a substitute)
1 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and celery. Stir and saute until onions are quite soft and translucent, about 5 mins. Add the garlic and swiss chard stems, stir until garlic is fragrant about 1 min.
Add the smoked paprika and tomato paste, stir. Add zucchini, chickpeas, and rice. Season with salt and pepper. Add the saffron and vegetable stock, stir, and cover. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, covered until the rice is just cooked through, about 25 minutes. Add the chopped chard leaves to the pot and continue to cook until it has just wilted about 3 minutes.
Stir in parsley and lemon juice. Serve immediately.
Notes:
If you don’t have saffron or can’t find it, you can make this recipe without (I tested it tonight, just to make sure). However, I would highly recommend it - the mellow, yet distinct saffron takes this soup to the next level. Dried calendula petals may also work as a more local substitute.
If you are using store-bought stock, which usually comes in 1 litre (4 cups) containers, you can add water to make up the difference.
I have used leftover rice. You will need about 1 cup and it should be added at the end just before the chard leaves, as it only needs to be warmed. Your overall cooking time will also be reduced.
Let me know your thoughts on swiss chard below!
Until next time,
Cassondra