Sweetest Chard

With a little bitter and a load of sweet, this recipe for Swiss Chard reserves its place at the table. Couldn’t resist picking up a bunch of colorful, leafy chard at the market? Try my sweet and simple variation on chard.

Sweetest Chard

Sweetest Swiss Chard

One bunch Swiss chard, rinsed, ends trimmed, chopped 

3 cloves garlic, diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup pomegranate juice

1/3 cup dried cranberries

dash of salt

twist of black pepper

1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

Heat olive oil over medium heat, add garlic and chopped chard. Cook and stir two minutes. Add pomegranate juice and dried cranberries. Cover and simmer over medium heat two minutes. Remove from heat. Top with crumbled goat cheese. Serve and savor. (For a nut-friendly version, fold in 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts.) 

Yield: six servings

Mini-Portion Control

Portion control works.  Serve goat cheese in mini-portions without breaking the bank or the scales. When the craving hits, lay out goat cheese on pear slices.

Dip sliced goat cheese in olive oil. Dust goat cheese slices with bread crumbs and fresh herbs. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.  Serve on sliced pears.

Go Ask Alice

The results of the Alice Waters Baked Goat Cheese and Lettuce Salad were no less than perfect.  Mind you, this is a bit of a luxury around this cookery, but I can’t believe it took me so long to finally try this recipe.  It’s out there . . . in cookbooks, for sale on Web sites, maybe even on your own bookshelf.  And now, it’s on file in my memory banks.  Search and rescue and you will be satisfied. 

 My friend, Dawn, said her mother-in-law has been making the salad for years.  Now that I’m out from under a rock, I’ll be keeping this warm goat cheese sensation in the rotation when the budget allows.

Goat Cheese, Please

The time has arrived.  I’ve been overlooking the Alice Waters Baked Goat Cheese with Lettuce Salad far too long.  But it’s happening tonight . . . right here in the cookery.  Have you tried it?  I can’t wait to share this.  Let me know if you have any twists on this salad!

Tomato Toss

This low maintenance dish goes a long way with flavor.

Start with 16 ounces rinsed cherry or grape tomatoes.  Halve tomatoes.

Chop two tablespoons fresh cilantro.

Crumble two tablespoons goat cheese.

Mix together with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.  Add a dash of salt and a twist of freshly ground pepper.  Toss and you’re ready to serve and savor.