Stuffed swiss chard rolls

We’re big fans of Swiss chard. So we can’t wait to try Karen’s creative recipe! It looks pretty amazing, doesn’t it?

Ingredients

• 1 bunch Swiss chard
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and blanch (i.e., briefly boil) the chard for 20-30 seconds. Set aside 1/2 cup of the blanching water for the baking dish.
2. Immediately transfer the chard to a bowl of cold water and drain.
3. Cut the chard stalks from the leaves, and dice them to about 1/4 of an inch pieces.
4. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-low heat.
5. Add the onion to the skillet and cook, stirring until very soft (about 8 minutes).
6. Add the chard stems and a generous pinch of salt, and cook until the stems are tender (about 5 minutes).
7. Add the tomato and cook another 2 minutes.
8. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring, until fragrant (30 seconds to a minute).
9. Remove the skillet from the heat.
10. Preheat the oven to 375˚F, and lightly oil a baking dish large enough to accommodate the chard rolls.
11. In a large bowl, mix together the rice, cooked ingredients, and fresh herbs to create the filling.
12. Adjust seasoning to taste.
13. Place about 2 tbsp of the filling on each chard leaf, and tuck the sides over the filling before rolling up each leaf.
14. Place the rolls in the baking dish, and pour tomato sauce, followed by Parmesan cheese, over them. 
15. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes, or until the chard rolls are hot and the leaves are tender.
16. Uncover and bake an additional 5 minutes, and enjoy!

Recipe by Karen Hartman