CSA: Swiss chard and kale salad
15 Jul
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is when a farmer offers a certain number of “shares” to the public. Interested consumers then purchase a share to receive a box of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season. The produce is fairly priced, local grown, and in my case, organic.
This is something I whipped up together with a few ingredients I had on hand. I used a couple of pieces of anchovy fillets just to see what it would taste like. I was pleasantly surprised, as it added an entire new dimension of flavor to the salad that I didn’t expect! It was scrumptious!
There is nothing more delicious than eating fresh vegetables that are in season. Check out the gorgeous colors on this swiss chard!
This salad is delicious cold or hot, depending on your mood. A quick blanching of the vegetables seals the nutrients, as well as the crispness. I have a taste for root vegetables that are bitter. If you prefer to add a bit of sweetness, try adding some honey to the dressing. Give it a whirl; I promise you won’t be disappointed!
1. Wash the leaves thoroughly by submerging the whole thing in cold water. Make sure you rinse it out at least three times, as there is a lot of sand trapped inside.
2. Score the center part by running the knife through the middle stem.
3. Slice into small ribbons by cutting against the length of the leaves.
Recipe: Swiss chard and kale Salad
Makes about 4 servings
1 bunch of swiss chard
1 bunch of kale
1/4 cup of walnuts
1/4 cup of almonds
8 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, minced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 anchovy fillets, minced
Seasalt
Fresh ground pepper
10 cubes of ice for ice bath
Procedure:
1. In a pot, boil enough water to submerge the swiss chard and kale.
2. Prepare the dressing by whisking together olive oil, onion, and garlic in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Once water starts boiling, add swiss chard and kale. Then immediately turn off water. Put the vegetables into a colander to drain. Then add to ice bath to stop the cooking process.
4. In a big bowl, toss vegetables with dressing. Add walnuts and almonds.
5. You can serve as is, or cook everything on a pan for a couple of minutes, as heat will help the flavors come together.
