Yesterday’s CSA offered apricots, gorgeous jewel-toned plums, squash, and red chard. I ate one plum before I even made it to the car, but the red chard was the base for last night’s dinner. We made a tangy, sweet, and spicy dish of chard with chickpeas. You could sub in any chard or even collards. It’s delicious, vegan and in line with this cleanse. This is going to be a staple in my recipe book. 
Red Chard with Chickpeas
(adapted from Italian Country Cookbook)
Serves 6
2 lbs swiss chard leaves, stems removed
2 tbs olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 small onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
¾ cup water
¼ cup white wine vinegar
3 tbs tomato paste
1 can (16 oz) chickpeas
Salt
Pepper
Juice of ½ lemon
1 tbs red pepper flakes
2 tsp cayenne pepper
Coarsely chop the chard.
Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.
Add onions, garlic, and carrots and cook until softened, about 12 minutes.
Add water and vinegar and reduce, stirring, about 4 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir to thicken.
Add chard and chickpeas, stirring to break down chard. It will quickly wilt. Season with salt/pepper, red pepper flakes and cayenne. Reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.
Remove pan from heat, add lemon juice, and taste for seasoning.
1 response so far ↓
1 Herbert // Jul 14, 2008 at 8:35 pm
Sounds delish! I must try it; I’m terribly fond of chard.
Also amuses me as I made up a chard-chickpea concoction of my own the other week when my beau brought me a whole bunch of chard from the farmer’s market: sautéed chard with chickpeas, garlic scapes, scallions, & chili pepper and melted mozzarella cheese, served over honey-mint rice.
Also wanted to say hello as another GF Washingtonian! (Though going back to Philly in a month)
Leave a Comment