Caldo Verde and Chard Tart

This green soup and savory tart are both Swiss chard recipes, easy to prepare and elegant to serve.

St. Patrick's Day parties often call for green food. Swiss chard, usually available throughout the winter, cooks to an emerald green in these two vegetable recipes. Though neither recipe has its origin in Ireland, they make great naturally green dishes for St. Paddy's Day festivities.

Caldo Verde (Green Soup)

• 1 large onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 large Irish potatoes
• 2 quarts water
• 2 ounces pepperoni, kielbasa or chorizo sausage
• 2 teaspoons salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound Swiss chard leaves

Directions:

1. Peel and finely mince onion.
2. Mince garlic.
3. Wash, peel and thinly slice potatoes.
4. Wash chard leaves well.
5. Trim away stalks.
6. Stack leaves on top of each other and roll along the length of the leaves to form a cigar shape.
7. With a very sharp knife, slice the chard tube into very thin ribbons.
8. In a large soup pot, saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat just until they start to turn color.
9. Add potatoes and continue sauteing another 2 minutes or so.
10. Add water, bring to boil.
11. Cover and simmer gently till potatoes are soft and mashable, about 25 minutes.
12. Thinly slice sausage and fry over low heat until most of fat is cooked out, about 10 minutes over low heat.
13. Using a potato masher or an immersion blender, mash potatoes in the kettle.
14. Add sausage, salt and pepper to taste.
15. Stir well and return to heat.
16. Cover and simmer 5 more minutes.
17. Uncover and stir in chard.
18. Simmer uncovered 5 more minutes until chard is tender.
19. Stir in remaining tablespoon of olive oil, remove from heat and serve.
20. Serves 6-8.

Chard Tart

Crust:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Filling:

• 1 pound Swiss chard leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. For crust, combine flour, salt and water in a small mixing bowl.
3. Stir in olive oil and mix thoroughly.
4. Knead in the bowl until completely blended. It will be very moist.
5. Press dough into bottom of 10-inch springform pan.
6. For filling, wash chard and shake to remove most of the water.
7. Trim and discard stalks.
8. Chop roughly either on a cutting board or in several batches in food processor.
9. Place chard in large nonstick skillet over low heat.
10. Season to taste with salt and pepper and cook until most of liquid is gone.
11. In a medium bowl, beat eggs and add Parmesan cheese, blending well.
12. Add chard to egg/cheese mixture and mix well.
13. Spread chard mixture on to crust.
14. Bake in center of oven about 40 minutes until chard mixture is firm and browned.
15. Allow to cool to room temperature before serving in small wedges.

Ruby Chard

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