Swiss Chard and Potatoes-Blitva
If I was to name a childhood salad that I remember eating regularly and that I loved it would be this one.
This accompanied seafood so often in my house, it really is the perfect side for barbecued fish. My husband on our last trip to Croatia from Pula to Ston, ordered barbecued fish with blitva everywhere we went. I had octopus salad everywhere we went. My kids had the greatest time to, ordering whatever they wanted.
My mum discards the stalk, I don't, as I love them.
You could use butter to fry the garlic, if you like.
Your extra virgin olive oil has to be great, the best you can afford. I honestly watch for 1/2 price sales in supermarkets and stock up, as paying $18 for a litre is crazy expensive.
With the potatoes, if you put too many, it will be like mash, you can figure out if you want to add more or less potatoes, it really is to taste. Sometimes I want it to be like mash.
We grow swiss chard in the garden, but if buying it, look for silverbeet in the shops.
This is simple, but it's delicious.
This accompanied seafood so often in my house, it really is the perfect side for barbecued fish. My husband on our last trip to Croatia from Pula to Ston, ordered barbecued fish with blitva everywhere we went. I had octopus salad everywhere we went. My kids had the greatest time to, ordering whatever they wanted.
My mum discards the stalk, I don't, as I love them.
You could use butter to fry the garlic, if you like.
Your extra virgin olive oil has to be great, the best you can afford. I honestly watch for 1/2 price sales in supermarkets and stock up, as paying $18 for a litre is crazy expensive.
With the potatoes, if you put too many, it will be like mash, you can figure out if you want to add more or less potatoes, it really is to taste. Sometimes I want it to be like mash.
We grow swiss chard in the garden, but if buying it, look for silverbeet in the shops.
This is simple, but it's delicious.
Recipe
2 bunches Swiss chard (or silverbeet), about 900g
3-4 medium potatoes, peeled, cut into bite sized pieces
1/3-1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, to taste
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
Salt and white pepper, to taste
3-4 medium potatoes, peeled, cut into bite sized pieces
1/3-1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, to taste
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
Salt and white pepper, to taste
Trim the ends from the stems of the chard leaves. Cut off and discard any wilted or yellow parts of the leaves.
Strip the stems from the leaves, and cut the stems into 3-4cm lengths. Wash thoroughly, drain. Set aside.
Using a knife I tear the leaves into 2cm strips, I don't measure, it's just rough strips. Wash thoroughly, drain. Set aside.
Add potatoes to a large pot filled with cold water, leave about 3-4cm from the top, season water with salt. Bring to the boil, and cook for 8 minutes. Add the stems, and cook for 3 minutes more, add the leaves and cook for about 5 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked and the swiss chard is tender. Drain well.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil into the pot you cooked the silverbeet, over a medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, turn off the heat. Return the Swiss chard and potatoes to the pot, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the remaining extra virgin olive oil, slowly, stirring and smashing the potatoes as you go, keep adding oil until you are happy with the flavour. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Strip the stems from the leaves, and cut the stems into 3-4cm lengths. Wash thoroughly, drain. Set aside.
Using a knife I tear the leaves into 2cm strips, I don't measure, it's just rough strips. Wash thoroughly, drain. Set aside.
Add potatoes to a large pot filled with cold water, leave about 3-4cm from the top, season water with salt. Bring to the boil, and cook for 8 minutes. Add the stems, and cook for 3 minutes more, add the leaves and cook for about 5 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked and the swiss chard is tender. Drain well.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil into the pot you cooked the silverbeet, over a medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, turn off the heat. Return the Swiss chard and potatoes to the pot, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the remaining extra virgin olive oil, slowly, stirring and smashing the potatoes as you go, keep adding oil until you are happy with the flavour. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Enjoy!