Stuffed Swiss Chard

Swiss chard is so beautiful as to be inspiring.  The rainbow colored stalks of super bright colors with broad dark green leaves make me think about eating them in a healthy frenzy.  Since Swiss chard is a bit on the bitter side, rice with beef as a filling and a slightly sweet sauce make the perfect contrast and taste combination.

Nona rolled all kind of green leafy things into Yaprakes or Dolmas or Yalanjis and then, stewed them until tender so you could easily bite into the tasting fillings of rice or rice and meat combinations.  You may eat them cold or hot.

Servings: 8 first course servings (2 each)

1 large bunch of red or rainbow Swiss chard, 16 or more large leaves (pick one with large perfect leaves)

Filling:

2 tablespoons safflower oil

1 large onion, diced small

Salt

Pepper

1 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 pounds ground beef

1/ 2 cup long grain white rice

Sauce:

1 large onion diced small

1 cup chopped fresh parsley

Salt

Pepper

1/ 2 cup quartered prunes or black figs

14 ounces canned diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Carefully wash and dry leaves.  Remove the long colored stems, dice them and set them aside in a bowl to use in the sauce.

Heat a 12 inch skillet or fry pan on medium-high heat.  Add oil and diced onion. Sauté onion until translucent.  Next, season with salt and pepper and add parsley.  Stir vegetables, turn up heat to high, and add ground beef.  Sauté beef until cooked through and crumbly and then add rice. Add 1 cup of water and cover.  Let meat and rice steam through until all water is absorbed.  Remove filling from heat and let it cool until ready to use.

Heat a very heavy bottom Dutch oven on medium heat.  Add diced chard stalks, diced onion and parsley.  Sauté until translucent, season with salt and pepper turn off heat and begin to fill Swiss chard leaves.

Spread out each leaf, scoop several tablespoons of filling from bowl and place at the stem base of the leaf.  Start rolling, fold in sides and then continue to roll all the way up.  Place each chard roll in bottom of Dutch oven on top of sautéed onions and chard.  Finish rolling and place all rolls in pan.  Add prunes, diced tomatoes and lemon juice.  Place cover on Dutch oven turn on heat to medium until it starts to bubble, and then, turn down heat to low and let simmer for one and one half to two hours.  Serve