sautéed swiss chard with currants and balsamic glaze

I love greens. All greens. Sautéed, they’re one of my favorite vegetable sides. Swiss Chard is a great “entry level” green. It’s not bitter like some other leafy greens are, so it won’t scare away children and people like my mother. And when you’ve got a vibrant bunch of rainbow chard, everyone has to be just a little enticed.

This recipe follows my basic method for sautéing greens, with a bit of extra zing. Capers bring a bit of salty piquancy which are balanced by the sweetness of the currants. A touch of balsamic vinegar at the finish brightens the dish and mellows the greens. The combination of these elements is common in Sicilian cooking.

What’s different about cooking chard from cooking other greens is that, in addition to the tender and flavorful leaves, it has thick crunchy stems that are perfectly edible, so the sauté happens in two stages—first the stems are tossed in a skillet with olive oil and garlic until crisp-tender, and then the torn leaves are added for a quick finish.

Whatever color chard you choose, look for bunches that have bright green leaves with no trace of yellow at the edges, and fresh-looking stems. (That doesn’t include the yellow veins in golden chard.)

There’s virtually no difference in taste between green chard, red chard, and rainbow chard, so grab whatever looks best. This barely qualifies as a recipe; it’s more of a method.

You’ll see it calls for “good olive oil.” I could have said extra virgin, but the quality of extra virgin olive oil varies greatly from one to the next. Make sure your oil is certified extra virgin, from a single source, and bottled at its place of origin.

The taste of a good olive oil is reflective of the soil where it’s grown. Olive oils from Italy, Spain, Morocco, and Greece all have different flavor profiles. My absolute favorite, easily available, and reasonably priced is Kirkland’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Italy. That’s right. Costco. It’s the real deal. And surprisingly, you’ll want the regular one, not the organic. I also like this one from Morocco.

Balsamic vinegars also vary greatly. A good one can cost as much as a good bottle of wine. That said, you’ll use it up more slowly than you would drink that pauillac! I’m a big fan of this one. It’s a bit expensive, but a little goes a long way. Think of it more as a condiment than a vinegar.

Ingredients:

one bunch Swiss chard

a small glug of good olive oil

a few cloves garlic, to taste

a sprinkle of Diamond Crystal kosher salt

a handful of currants or chopped raisins

a lesser handful of capers, drained

a splash of good balsamic vinegar

a few grinds of the pepper mill

Method:

• Place your currants or coarsely chopped raisins into a heat safe bowl and add hot water to cover. Let them soak while you prepare the greens.

• Wash your chard. Bits of sand and soil can get imbedded in the leaves.

• Remove the center stems from the leaves and tear or cut the leaves into bite sized pieces.

• Trim the bottoms of the stalks and slice the stalks on the diagonal (holding your knife at a 45° angle), into pieces about ¾ inch long.

• Thinly slice your garlic. How much you use is up to you. I like a lot!

• Pour a glug of olive oil into a large skillet. Warm the oil and add the garlic and the sliced chard stems with a light sprinkling of salt.

• Sauté over medium heat until the stem pieces are tender, but still retain some crunch factor. Don’t let the garlic brown.

• Add in the torn leaves, the drained currants, and the capers and toss it all together until the leaves are wilted and softened to your liking (I use tongs for this). Don’t worry if it looks like a lot for the pan. Greens are mostly water and will cook down considerably. Taste and adjust for salt.

• Off heat, add a splash of balsamic vinegar and a few grinds of pepper, then toss it all together and serve.

Did you make it? Was it fabulous?