Rainbow Chard with Currants and Pine nuts

Why Chard with Currants and Pine nuts?

Swiss chard is one of my favourite winter flings. Besides being delicious and versatile, better yet it s great for you too.

Also known as silver beet; swiss chard is characterised by its slightly salty, bitter earthy flavour (shared with its cousins spinach and beetroot).

What many do not realise – and what I love – is that both the leaves and stalks are edible. Commonly white, the stalks of swiss chard can range in colour form red, yellow and pink (the combination together making rainbow chard).

This dish is one of my favourite ways to eat swiss chard as it ticks all the boxes.
Sweetness from the currants and onions, tartness from the verjuice, texture and bite from the pine nuts and a must have ingredient – butter all matched with the natural salty bitter earthiness of swiss chard.

Ingredients
½ cup currants
1 bunch rainbow chard or silver beet
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, sliced
60g pine nuts, toasted
70g butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons verjuice

Method

Bring a large pot of salted water the boil.

Soak the currants in boiling water and leave for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile separate the leaves from the swiss chard and reserve the stems. Wash both leaves and stems in plenty of water and drain. Slice the stems into 2cm lengths and thinly slice the leaves.

Off the heat place the onion, garlic, pine nuts, butter and oil in a medium sized saucepan. Place over a medium low heat and cook for 10 -15 minutes, stirring, until soft and starting to colour.

Drain the currants and add to the onion mixture. Cook for 2 minutes until heated through. Take off the heat and stir through the verjuice.

Cook the swiss chard stems for 3 minutes before adding the leaves and cook for 1 minute until wilted. Drain the swiss chard and scatter over a large platter or shallow bowl. Drizzle the currant and pine nut sauce over the swiss chard and serve immediately.

Serves 4

Bon Appetite