Stuffed Chard

These stuffed leaves look like red ribbon-wrapped gifts and are delicious served hot or cold. Brown and wild rice combines with onion, garlic, pine nuts, raisins and goat cheese for the sweet and savory filling. Ghee, clarified butter, adds a subtle nutty flavor (We don't have Ghee in Juneau... I think the city and the food had a falling out some time in the 70's... Ghee hasn't been back since) If serving hot, garnish with lemon or additional olive oil. If cold, go with yogurt, sour cream, cucumber or dill sauce.

Ingredients
16 red Swiss chard leaves (choose smallish leaves around 10-inch long) 

2 cups water 
Salt to taste

1 1/2 tablespoons ghee or regular butter, divided

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 small yellow onion, chopped 

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2/3 cup brown and wild rice mix, prepared according to package directions, cooled 

1/4 cup pine (Or almonds are good too) nuts 
1/3 cup raisins 
8 ounces soft goat (Or Feta. I use feta) cheese 
Pepper to taste
I also added cranberries to this and found it to be amazing.

Method
In a saucepan or skillet large enough to submerge chard without folding, bring water and salt to a boil. Blanch leaves, one at a time for about 20 to 30 seconds, just to soften. They should remain bright green with limp stems. Drain in a single layer on a paper towel-covered cookie sheet. Set aside. 

Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a baking pan with 1/2 tablespoon of the ghee; set aside. 

Heat 1/2 tablespoon of the remaining ghee and 1/2 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender. Transfer to a large bowl with cooked and cooled rice and toss gently to combine. 

In a separate small heavy skillet, heat remaining 1/2 tablespoon of the ghee and 1/2 tablespoon of the oil. Add pine nuts and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown. Add to rice mixture along with raisins and goat cheese. Season with salt and pepper. 

To assemble, cut off thickest part of stem by cutting a "v" shape about one inch up from bottom of leaf. Turn leaf face side up and overlap bottom cut edges. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of filling near stem. Fold bottom sides in and roll to enclose the filling. Place open edge down in prepared baking pan. Repeat with remaining leaves and filling. 

Drizzle remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil over finished packets. Cover loosely with foil. Bake about 15 minutes, until heated through.


This is another one of my favorite holiday dishes.