I am a big fan of leafy greens, but I had never had Swiss Chard until a few years ago! It is now a vegetable that we really like, and I was excited to see it in my veggie bag from Front Porch Pickings!! If you are a food nerd like me, check out this link and find out why it’s so good for you! It is packed with vitamins (vitamin K anyone?!) and antioxidants, one of which is great for regulating blood sugar. Double bonus! Anyway, back to dinner… I had a pork tenderloin that I needed to cook, so I chose to simply roast that with a few seasonings and make my side dish the star of the show! This recipe you has you standing at the stove a little bit, so grab a friend, a book, a glass of wine, whatever strikes your fancy, and get stirring! Hope you enjoy!
Swiss Chard & Mushroom Orzo Risotto
Quick tip on cutting the Swiss chard – thinly slice the stems until you get up to the leafy part. Slice the leaves in half longways, and then thinly slice the two halves. If the ribs in the leaves are extra tough, you can use this method to cut out the ribs and then chop them up with the stems! This dish would also work well with spinach if you’re not able to get Swiss Chard.
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
16 oz sliced, fresh mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 bunch Swiss chard, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 large red onion, minced (about 1.5 cups)
2 cups uncooked orzo
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 1/2 cups low fat, low sodium chicken broth, warmed
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
In a large saucepan, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and saute until most of the liquid is gone, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute 1 minute. Add thyme, salt, pepper, and the sliced Swiss chard. Saute until the chard is soft, about 3 minutes. Remove mushroom/chard mixture with a spoon and place in a bowl.
In the same saucepan, heat the other 1 Tbsp of olive oil and add the minced onion, sauteeing until soft (about 3 minutes). Add the orzo and saute for 2 minutes or until slightly browned. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, scraping up the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan and coating the orzo.
Add 2 cups of the warmed broth and simmer on medium to medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally (the pan will start to look dry and that’s ok! Just don’t let it stick to your pan too much!). Pour in another 1/2 cup of warmed broth and simmer another 5 minutes, still stirring. Pour in another 1/2 cup and simmer 5 more minutes, still stirring (sorry, this is the boring part, but it’s worth it!!).
Finally! Add the final 1/2 cup of broth, stirring well. Return the mushroom/chard mix to the pan and add in the butter and Parmesan cheese, cooking for 3-5 more minutes or until well combined and creamy.
Makes about 6c+
- 6 servings @ 1 cup each works out to about 338 calories and 10g fat/serving
- 8 servings @ 3/4 cup each works out to about 250 calories and 7g fat/serving
