Pasta with Swiss Chard, aisins and Almonds.
Um, I just made something awesome. Uncle Larry and Cousin Hank have been gifting me with produce from their garden. I appreciate this a lot, but it occasionally leaves me searching for a new way to use produce. Today I had already made a soup using the mustard greens he bought last week and a really tasty ratatouille from the eggplant, peppers, and squash he had gifted me with and I still had a huge pile of rainbow swiss chard staring at me. I started googling. I found the original recipe for this on epicurious. I had almonds, but I had to run over to my mom's to get the raisins. I used elbow macaroni because that's what I had. I added the cinnamon and cardamom because I thought it sounded good. You could probably get away with regular paprika and allspice if you had to, but I can't say because I didn't. I made this instead and it turned out really, really, really good. So I had to share. Enjoy! ANd let me know if you make this.
P.S. I did a lot of seriously FUN stuff this weekend. I hope to blog about it soon, before we head for New Orleans. We'll see...Michael's out of town again and I'm still fighting "overwhelmed".
Pasta with Swiss Chard, Raisins & Almonds (adapted)
1 large onion, sliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1 1/2 lbs Swiss chard
1/3 cup raisins
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup coarsely chopped almonds with skins
8 oz cooked, short cut pasta (such as fusili, penne, shells, farfalle, etc.), kept hot
After washing & drying the Swiss chard, remove the center ribs and slice into 1/4-inch pieces. Chop the leaves coarsely and set aside. (I actually had already thrown away the ribs, but next time I will try this)
Cook onion and chopped chard ribs with 1/4 teaspoon salt in 3 tablespoons oil in a 5- or 6-quart heavy pot over medium heat, stirring until softened. Sprinkle with paprika, cinnamon, and cardamom (I actually guestimated the amounts, I just shook them in.) and cook while stirring, 1 minute. Add the chopped chard leaves in batches, stirring frequently until wilted, then adding raisins and water. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until chard is tender, about 7 minutes. When finished, toss with pasta and another 1/2 cup pasta water and adjust seasonings.
While chard leaves are cooking, start preparing the almonds. I toasted the almonds in my toaster oven. Sprinkle almonds over pasta and chard.
Serves 6.
P.S. I did a lot of seriously FUN stuff this weekend. I hope to blog about it soon, before we head for New Orleans. We'll see...Michael's out of town again and I'm still fighting "overwhelmed".
Pasta with Swiss Chard, Raisins & Almonds (adapted)
1 large onion, sliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1 1/2 lbs Swiss chard
1/3 cup raisins
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup coarsely chopped almonds with skins
8 oz cooked, short cut pasta (such as fusili, penne, shells, farfalle, etc.), kept hot
After washing & drying the Swiss chard, remove the center ribs and slice into 1/4-inch pieces. Chop the leaves coarsely and set aside. (I actually had already thrown away the ribs, but next time I will try this)
Cook onion and chopped chard ribs with 1/4 teaspoon salt in 3 tablespoons oil in a 5- or 6-quart heavy pot over medium heat, stirring until softened. Sprinkle with paprika, cinnamon, and cardamom (I actually guestimated the amounts, I just shook them in.) and cook while stirring, 1 minute. Add the chopped chard leaves in batches, stirring frequently until wilted, then adding raisins and water. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until chard is tender, about 7 minutes. When finished, toss with pasta and another 1/2 cup pasta water and adjust seasonings.
While chard leaves are cooking, start preparing the almonds. I toasted the almonds in my toaster oven. Sprinkle almonds over pasta and chard.
Serves 6.
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