Quick-Braised Swiss Chard, White Beans and Chorizo
- Course: Main Course, Side Dish
- Features: Fast
Summary:
This satisfying and flavorful dish is a good reason to try Swiss chard. The greens are cooked long enough to make them tender but fast enough that there is no sacrifice of color or texture.
Taste before adding salt; the chorizo sausage and canned beans may provide enough of a salty component. Serve this dish as a main course or alongside grilled poultry.
8 side-dish servings or 4 main-course servings
Ingredients:
- About 1 tablespoon mild olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup finely diced onion
- 8 ounces fresh chorizo sausage, casings removed
- 1 teaspoon double-concentrated tomato paste (may substitute 1 tablespoon regular tomato paste)
- 8 ounces (1 bunch) Swiss chard, washed well but not dried, each leaf cut into 4 or 5 pieces
- Water (optional)
- 2 15- to 16-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (about 3 cups total)
- 1/2 cup medium-bodied red wine
- Salt (optional)
Directions:
Heat the oil in a large pan (11 to 12 inches wide, 2 to 3 inches deep) over medium heat until the oil shimmers. Add the onion and cook, stirring once or twice, for 2 to 3 minutes, until it has softened, then add the sausage. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the sausage is lightly browned but not cooked through; use a spatula or wooden spoon to break up any large chunks.
Add the tomato paste, stirring to mix well; cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the Swiss chard; if the cut pieces are not very wet, add a few tablespoons of water, as needed, to help create steam. Reduce the heat to medium; cover and cook for 2 minutes, until the chard starts to wilt. Add the beans and the red wine; use tongs to fold the ingredients together. Cover and adjust the heat as necessary so the liquid in the pan is bubbling slightly. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the chard is tender.
Remove from the heat; taste and add salt, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Recipe Source:
From In Season columnist Stephanie Witt Sedgwick.
E-mail the Food Section with recipe questions.
(Susan Biddle - The Washington Post)
