Mom's Famous Swiss Chard Soup

I was just gifted a HUGE bag of Swiss chard today from my father's garden, and now I need to figure out what to do with all of this bounty. I enjoy chard typically sauteed with a little oil or butter, lemon juice (optional) and salt and pepper as a side dish, in a stir-fry, as a substitute for lettuce in a sandwich or in place of a tortilla in a wrap. Yum!

However, my most favorite use of the Swiss chard is the Swiss chard soup that my mother makes this time of year! It is a family favorite. This soup really brings out the flavors of the chard, with little spice and butter it is really a very simple but delicious and warming soup. Not to mention the colors are fantastic!


Mom's Famous Swiss Chard Soup
Makes 6 cups

Ingredients

1 lb Swiss chard
1/2 cup diced carrots
1 cup celery
1 cup chopped leeks or onions
4 tbsp butter
1/2 lbs potatoes
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Wash chard; separate the leaves and ribs. String ribs if necessary and thinly slice. Remove any thick ribs from the back of larger leaves. Fold in half and slice into 1/2 inch thick pieces. In a large saucepan, stew the chard ribs, carrots, celery and leeks or onions in butter for 5 minutes until wilted.

2. Meanwhile, peel and chop potatoes; add to chard rib mixture along with broth and salt. Cover, and bring to a boil. Simmer 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Mash some of the potatoes against the pan to thicken the broth. Stir in the chard leaves, and cook for 3-4 minutes until the leaves are barely tender. Season with salt and pepper.