I’m on a quest to discover new vegetables. These days as I eat more veggies and fish (and less meat), the same greens day in and out get pretty boring. I mean, there’s only so much asparagus and broccoli a person can consume. I hate to admit that I have yet to explore an entire section of leafy greens at my produce market, due to the finicky appetite of my now college-bound daughter. Don’t get me wrong–I’ve been known to sneak in spinach from time to time. And I’m proud of the fact that my kids not only eat brussels sprouts, they actually like them. But now I’m eager to investigate kale and research rapini. Swiss chard is a good place to start. Packed with vitamins A, K and C, chard is actually a member of the beet family. Tossed with my favorite small bite of pasta, it makes a perfect weeknight dinner. Sauteed onions and bell pepper round out the flavors, while red pepper flakes and lemon zest give a kick to the sauce. A final touch of tangy chèvre perfectly balances the slightly bitter bite of the chard and adds wonderful creaminess. Dinner accomplished.
Orecchiette with Swiss Chard and Chèvre
Not kidding. This is really easy. The sauce comes together in the time it takes to boil water and cook the pasta. Employ the age-old chef’s trick of prepping all your veggies first–do a mise en place–and you’ll feel like a pro. Mise en place literally means “put in place” and is the key to cooking with ease and efficiency. When all your ingredients are chopped and ready to go before you begin to cook, you will have more control over your timing and be able to cook more confidently.
Set a stockpot filled with well salted water over medium high heat to boil. To remove the tough stem of the chard leaves, use the tip of a chef’s knife to slice along either side of the thick vein down the middle and discard. Roughly chop the leaves, place in a salad spinner, rinse and dry. Finely dice a sweet onion and a red bell pepper. Thinly slice 3 garlic cloves.
In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add diced onion and bell pepper and a pinch of kosher salt. Saute until translucent. Add sliced garlic cloves and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Place swiss chard leaves in the pan–they will seem like a lot at first, but they will cook down. Stir as they cook for several minutes until wilted. Zest half of a lemon over the pan and stir in to combine.
When the water in the stockpot comes to a full boil, add the orecchiette pasta and cook according to package directions, checking close to finishing time to be sure not to overcook–it should just be al dente. Before you drain the pasta, reserve a cup of the pasta water. Add half the pasta water to the vegetables in the saute pan, then add the drained pasta. Toss and taste for seasoning, adding kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper if needed. Also add more pasta water, if you like, to bring the sauce together.
Dish the pasta and the vegetables into shallow bowls. Spoon dollops of the creamy chèvre on top of each portion, drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil over all and serve.
Serves 4:
1 bunch swiss chard, 3-4 cups chopped
1 sweet onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 garlic cloves, sliced
extra virgin olive oil
pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 lemon, zested
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 pound orecchiette pasta
4 ounces chèvre