This recipe is an outgrowth of a pepper recipe I picked up from a couple of older Sicilian women at a farmer’s market long ago. I was making the peppers recipe and had extra grappa soaked raisins to use, so this recipe was born. If you do not have grappa for your raisins, use vodka or white wine. I had pistachios on hand, so I used them. Almonds or pine nuts work just as well.
INGREDIENTS:
1 bunch of chard, stems and leaves separated, stems diced ¼-inch and leaves chopped into 1-inch bits, rinsed and drained
1 brown onion, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and de-germed, minced
¼ cup of the liquid from soaking the raisins, or use white wine
¼ cup golden or black raisins, soaked in grappa, vodka, or white wine, to cover
1/3 cup shelled unsalted pistachios (or pine nuts or chopped roasted almonds)
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced
1 tablespoon Italian parsley, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil as needed
METHOD:
At least one hour before making this dish, put the raisins in a small non-reactive container and cover with the grappa (or whatever you are using) and allow to marinate. You can marinate the raisins up to 4 hours without them starting to break down too much. Just before you cook this dish, drain the raisins, being sure to reserve the soaking liquid. Give the raisins a gentle squeeze over the bowl and catch this liquid, too.
Heat a 10-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil at least (enough to coat the pan bottom well). When hot, add the onions and chard stems, tossing to coat the vegetables.
Cook until the vegetables are coloring and softened.
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant and softening. Do not let the garlic color too much or you will burn it and the dish will taste acrid.
Once the garlic is softened, scatter half the herbs over the contents of the pan and stir in.
Add the raisins . Toss to mix and cook to heat through.
Add the chard leaves to the pan and turn so the leaves are on the bottom of the vegetables.
Add the soaking liquid or wine to the pan and stir to coat everything. Cook until the liquid has evaporated.
Scatter the nuts and the rest of the herbs on the contents of the pan and stir to combine everything evenly. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve hot.
Chef’s Notes and Tips:
For the nuts, pine nuts can be toasted or not as you choose. If you use salted pistachios, be careful salting the dish later. For the almonds, you could use smoked almonds for an interesting foil to the sweetness of the raisins, but again watch out for saltiness in the dish.
Serves: 4
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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