Here’s a little secret: I didn’t actually cook this dish. My better half did. (And all without supervision in the kitchen!)

I have to say, he really did a fantastic job with this classic preparation of swiss chard. Having not looked at the recipe thoroughly beforehand, I was blown away not only by the tender and velvety richness of these greens, but also by Habanero’s latent ability to cook. (Later on, upon closer reading, I noticed the two tablespoons of butter – not to mention the two tablespoons of olive oil – in the recipe, and I began to understand why we devoured most of this dish in one sitting.)

I smell a chef in the making… and I plan on reaping the benefits!

We actually accumulated two week’s worth of chard – so many CSA vegetables, so little time – and didn’t need to halve this recipe (from epicurious.com).

• 3 lbs green Swiss chard (obviously, we used the colored variety – whatever!)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 medium onions, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Cut stems and center ribs from chard, discarding any tough portions, then cut stems and ribs crosswise into 2-inch pieces. Stack chard leaves and roll up lengthwise into cylinders. Cut cylinders crosswise to make 1-inch-wide strips.

Heat oil and butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat until foam subsides, then cook onions and garlic with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper, covered, stirring occasionally, until onions begin to soften, about 8 minutes. Add chard stems and ribs, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until stems are just tender, about 10 minutes. Add chard leaves in batches, stirring until wilted before adding next batch, and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a serving bowl.

I finally found my kohlrabi muse at Dianasaur Dishes, a fun food blog I stumbled upon. On her website, Diana(saur) describes her cooking as “delicious, easy, and healthy meals on a shoestring budget,” and that had me sold.

Here’s my adaptation of her original recipe for Kohlrabi Salad:

• 2 small kohlrabi bulbs
• ½ cup Granny Smith apple, chopped (I’d try this julienned next time)
• 10 sugar snap peas, peas reserved and pods cut into strips
• 4 slices bacon
• ½ cup whole milk yogurt
• 1 Tbsp honey

Peel the outer layer of the kohlrabi bulbs, then cut into julienne strips. Toss with chopped apple, peas, and pods.

Fry bacon in a pan until very crisp, then chop finely. Add to kohlrabi mixture and toss.

In a small bowl, mix yogurt and honey. Drizzle over kohlrabi mixture, toss until thoroughly coated, and let sit for 30 minutes to let flavors meld.

This slaw is great for the summer: it’s light and fresh, mingled with sweet, tart, and smoky flavors. I omitted the sunflower seeds (in the original recipe) because I didn’t have any, and I think it worked out just as well – still had that crisp crunch from the kohlrabi and the apple. I also substituted whole milk yogurt for the heavy cream and vinegar. The overall texture would have been better, though, if I’d julienned the Granny Smith apple. (Next time!)

Mahalo for the inspiration, Diana!

In this week’s share:

• Romaine Lettuce
• Salad Turnips
• Bok Choy
• Baby Arugula
• Broccoli
• Cilantro
• Carrots
• Sugar Snap Peas
• Swiss Chard

Still looking for time to make a slaw with last week’s kohlrabi. *sigh*

I have a feeling there’s going to be a lot of salad for lunch this week. (Sorry, Habanero.)

This cornbread, adapted from a Cooks Illustrated recipe, fell far short of what I’d hoped to bake. I had envisioned a tall, buttery cornbread with a light crumb and a hint of sweetness – basically something like what we recently (and shamelessly) devoured at Amy Ruth’s. Instead, what came out of the oven was a decent-looking but rubbery pan of cornbread, specked with bits of bacon and scallion.

Usually, Cooks Illustrated pulls through very nicely – and this recipe also might have, save for the fact that I didn’t have milk on hand and instead substituted buttermilk. Hence, the absence of a recipe in this post: but if I get around to making it again (with no substitutions!), I’ll hopefully be able to share it with you.

This soup was a great way to use the escarole. Next time, however, I’d make it with a few changes: less garlic, more carrots, and fewer beans.

Nevertheless, it’s a healthy and hearty meal, especially when paired with some bacon and scallion cornbread (in my next post!).

(Recipe from www.epicurious.com)

• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 large carrot, cut into small dice
• 5 large garlic cloves, peeled, flattened
• 3 cups (packed) 1-inch pieces escarole (about ½ large head)
• 4 cups (or more) canned vegetable broth or low-salt chicken broth
• 3¼ cups cooked Great Northern beans or two 15-ounce cans cannellini (white kidney beans), rinsed, drained
• 1 14½ – to 16-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained

• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in heavy large Dutch over medium-low heat. Add onion, carrot and garlic and sauté until onion is golden and tender, about 7 minutes. Discard garlic. Add escarole; stir 3 minutes. Add 4 cups broth, beans and tomatoes and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until escarole is tender and flavors blend, about 20 minutes. Thin with more broth, if desired. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.