Recipe by Martha Rose Schulman NYT
Makes 8 Rolls
I was thinking this morning that stuffed chard rolls sounded really good. I googled it and it is a thing. I found several intriguing recipes. I am, sadly, completely out of tomato sauce, so I opted for this recipe because where I am lacking in tomato sauce I have an abundance of drained yogurt! Gilda De Laurentiis has a really delicious looking recipe found on the Food Network website, her version is Goat Cheese, Lentil and Brown Rice Chard Rolls. Her's is baked with marinara sauce.
8 large Chard Leaves
2 TB Extra Virgin Olive OIl
1 Spring Onions, finely chopped
Stems from the Chard Leaves
2 large Garlic Cloves, minced or use 2 Stalks Spring Garlic
1 cup, tightly packed, cooked Medium-grain White or Brown Rice, such as Calrose
1/4 cup finely chopped Fresh Parsley
2 TB finely chopped fresh Mint
1/2 tsp Aleppo Pepper (more to taste)
1/4 cup Currants (optional)
Greek Yogurt seasoned with garlic, lemon and sumac for serving
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and bleach the chard leaves and stems for 20 to 30 seconds. Transfer to a bowl of cold water, then drain and cut away the stems at the base. Next cut out the wide part of the stem remaining inside, cutting a V at the base where it connects with the leaf. Set aside the leaves and cut the stems into small dice (about 1/4"). Set aside 1/2 cup of the blanching water for the baking dish. Heat 1 TB of the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-low heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring until very soft, about 8 minutes. Add the diced chard stems and a generous pinch of salt and continue to cook until the stems are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Remove from the heat. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Oil a baking dish that can accommodate all of the chard rolls. In a large bowl mix together the rice, onion, mixture, herbs, Aleppo pepper and currants, if using. Taste and adjust seasoning. Place 2 TB of the filling on each chard leaf. Tuck the sides over the filling and roll up the leaves. Place in the baking dish. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the top and place 1/2 cup water in the baking dish. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes, until the chard roll are hot and the leaves tender. They should retain their bright green color. Tip: You can make the fillings a day or two ahead, and the filled rolls will keep for a day or so, as well.