Rainbow Chard with Pine Nuts and Basil

Just so you all don't think that the only thing we have been surviving on is sweets for the past couple of weeks I thought I would post a side dish we had for dinner the other night.

Not that someone wouldn't be able to survive on nothing but sweets it's not really recommended.  I'm pretty sure it's frowned upon, in fact.

Connie's delivered on Monday and this beautiful rainbow chard was in the box.  My first thought was to use it as a fan because it's awful hot here for March and it's shaped like a fan.  My second thought was to google rainbow chard and find out what in the heck to do with it.

So, while fanning myself I googled.  I came across this recipe that called for fresh basil.  I planted fresh basil in the garden about a week ago - check.

Pine nuts were sitting in the pantry - check.

We were good to go.  Let's get this rainbow chard party started, yo!

Rainbow Chard with Pine Nuts and Basil
Yield: 4 servings

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Ingredients:

• 13 to 14 oz. Rainbow chard (about 1 large bunch)
• 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 Tbs. pine nuts
• Kosher salt
• 1 Tbs. minced garlic
• 1 Tbs. cold unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves (8 to 10 large)
• Parmigiano-Reggiano or Sun-Dried Tomato and Herb Goat Cheese

Instructions:

1. Pull or cut the stems from the chard leaves. Cut or rip the leaves into 2- to 3-inch pieces and wash and dry them well. Rinse the stems and slice them crosswise 1/4 inch thick.
2. In a 12-inch nonstick stir-fry pan or skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the pine nuts to a plate, leaving behind as much oil as possible.
3. Return the pan to medium-high heat, add the chard stems and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until shrunken and beginning to brown lightly, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the chard leaves and 1/4 tsp. salt. Toss with tongs until just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. (If using a skillet, you may need to add the chard in batches, letting the first batch wilt before adding more.) Remove the pan from the heat, add the cold butter pieces and stir just until the butter has melted.
4. Using tongs, immediately transfer about half of the leaves and stems to a serving plate and arrange. Sprinkle on half of the basil, and pine nuts. Layer on the remaining leaves, stems, and pan juices, and garnish with the remaining basil, and pine nuts. Serve immediately.

Cooks Note:  I sprinkled mine with the Sun-Dried Tomato and Herb Goat Cheese.  So good!

Adapted from www.finecooking.com

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Calories: 178

Total Fat:  17.33

Carbohydrates: 1.56 mg.

Sodium:  118.33 mg.

Protein:  4.56 g.

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