Description
Slightly adapted from Food52.
Note: If possible, get your hands on some good, tender Swiss chard for this recipe. We’ve been getting beautiful chard from our CSA as well as from the Niskayuna Co-op, which carries chard from Hope Valley Farm. Farmers’ markets, obviously, are a great source.
Bread crumbs: Once, when I made this, I was out of bread — the horror! — and I used two English muffins instead. Worked like a charm.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch Swiss chard, about 12 ounces
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1½ cups (2.5 ounces) fresh bread crumbs, see notes above
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- sea salt to taste
- crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 lemon
- ¾ cups (1.5 – 2 ounces) grated Parmesan, Grana Padano or Pecorino
Instructions
- Wash and dry the chard and remove the stems from the leaves. (Save stems for another use.) Stack a few of the leaves on top of each other, roll them like a cigar and cut the cigar into thin (1/8-inch) ribbons. Repeat until all the leaves are shredded. Put the leaves into a large salad bowl.
- Warm ¼ cup olive oil in a small, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the bread crumbs and cook, stirring frequently, until they are crisp and golden brown (about 5 minutes). Be careful not to burn them! Stir in the garlic, a pinch of salt and pepper flakes, and let them toast for another minute, then remove from the heat.
- Zest the lemon into the bowl of chard. Juice the lemon into a small mixing bowl. Add a few generous pinches of salt. Slowly whisk in ¼ cup of the olive oil.
- Add the Parmesan and about ⅔ of the lemon dressing to the bowl. Toss until nicely coated. Taste and add more dressing if you like. Toss in the toasted bread crumbs and serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Toss
- Cuisine: American
