Swiss Chard with Shallots and Blood Oranges

It can start to seem like once you've sauteed one dark leafy green, you've sauteed them all.  Ever on the lookout for a variation on the theme, we were fortunate enough to be invited to dinner on a recent evening when my mother-in-law, Sue Anne, was trying out a new one.  This recipe comes from a friend of hers who lives part of the year in Italy, where apparently the chard was excellent this year!


SWISS CHARD WITH SHALLOTS AND BLOOD ORANGES
from, most recently, the kitchen of Rev. Sue Anne Morrow

serves 2, generously

1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large shallot (or two small ones), peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
1 bunch chard, stemmed and thinly sliced
2 blood oranges, separated into segments or supremed (good instructions with photos here)
pinch of salt


Heat the oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet.  When it's shimmery, add the sliced shallots.  Cook, stirring often, until the shallots begin to soften.

Add the chard to the pan and stir.  Lower the heat, season with a pinch of salt, and stir often as the chard wilts.  I often put a lid on the pan during this part of the process, as the steam helps the chard soften up a little more quickly.  You can also add a tablespoon or two of water if the pan is becoming too dry.  Taste a piece of chard to see if it has reached a texture you like.

Once the chard is cooked to your preferred texture, add the cut-up orange segments to the pan (if you supremed your oranges, don't forget to squeeze the "carcass" over the pan for every last drop of juice!).  Stir a few times to heat them through.  Check the seasoning, and serve hot.