SWISS CHARD WITH BACON

By SheHansen

Chard has become one of my favorite vegetables. Cooked on its own or with chopped onion, it tastes great, but when you add bacon, as I have here, the chard becomes an indulgence. The earthiness and slight bitterness of these dark, leafy greens have a special affinity for the deep smoky sweetness of bacon. The bacon is cooked crisp, then drained, and most of the fat is discarded, leaving just enough to flavor the chard. You can use the colorful rainbow chard found increasingly on the market. In a single bunch you will have stalks with red stems, others with yellow stems, and still others with white stems. I cook the stems as well as the leaves because they provide both texture and bright color. You can substitute any leafy green vegetable, such as kale, spinach, collards, or mustard greens. Adjust the cooking time to the toughness of the leaves, cooking tender leaves less and tougher greens, such as kale, longer.

Ingredients

• 2 bunches Swiss chard (about 2¼ pounds total)
• 3 slices nitrite-free bacon, cut crosswise into ¼-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup canned reduced sodium chicken broth
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

1. Remove the stems from the chard and chop into small pieces. Stack several leaves on top of one another and roll into a cylinder. Cut the rolled leaves crosswise to make strips about 1/3 inch wide. Repeat with the remaining leaves. Set aside.

2. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, about 7 minutes. Remove to paper towels to drain. Discard the fat in the pan and place the pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil, onion, and chard stems and cook until the onions begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the chard, 1 large handful at a time, stirring and tossing after each addition, then adding another handful as the first wilts.

3. Add the stock and the bacon and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer just until the chard is cooked through but still bright green, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.