Braised Swiss Chard

This is the second version of today's opening. I asked SSSal to review the first and her response was, "Boy, you are Crabby today". So after much grumbling and mumbling, I've made a few (nearly complete) changes to the opening.

The truth is I've got no particular story for today. No amusing bon mot. No compelling insight into the human condition. I woke up grumpy and I just started typing. The results weren't pretty and I promise there were absolutely no prisoners taken. While I fully subscribe to the attitude: "If you have nothing nice to say about someone sit next to me", I'll not vent on you, the faithful members of Crab Nation.

Instead I'm just going to give you a somewhat bitter recipe to go with my acrid mood. Swiss Chard seems to be all the rage this time of year for reasons that are just beyond me. It is bitter, it takes comparatively forever to cook and the results aren't all that great when you're done. But, supposedly the stuff is good for you. Besides, it's cold, the leaves are turning and winter's icy grip is just a few weeks away, why not go for something bitter and vaguely sour? So here's Braised Swiss Chard, a Giada recipe that has enough other ingredients to actually make the result palatable. So don't like it, like it, don't enjoy, enjoy...

Braised Swiss Chard

from Giada De Laurentiis' Family Dinners

1/4 cup olive oil

2 large red onions, sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 large bunches of Swiss Chard, stems trimmed, leaves coarsely chopped

4 tomatoes, coarsely chopped

2/3 cup low sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup soy sauce

3/4 teaspoon crushed dried red pepper flakes

Salt & Pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute until tender, approximately 8 minutes.

Add 1/3 of the chard and saute until it begins to wilt. Continue adding chard until it begins to wilt before adding more.

Add the tomatoes, soy sauce, broth and red pepper flakes.

Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer, stirring often, until the chard is very tender, about 12 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper, transfer to a bowl and serve.

OK crablings, that's it, no story, no big intros. Remember you can do it, you can cook.