Email to Cat      

Poached Eggs in Chard Nests

Source of Recipe

From "Williams Sonoma: Cooking at Home" by Chuck Williams


Recipe Introduction

"Swiss chard has large, dark leaves on red, white, or yellow stems. It's typical for the thick stems to be separated from the leaves and cooked a bit before the leaves are added. You can substitute any other dark greens, such as spinach or mustard greens."

List of Ingredients

◦ 2 pounds Swiss chard, rinsed and drained
◦ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
◦ 2 tablespoons olive oil
◦ Salt and ground pepper
◦ 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
◦ 4 eggs


Recipe

Cut the center stems from the chard leaves. Cut the stems crosswise into thin slices; chop the leaves coarsely. Keep the leaves and stems separate.

In a large frying pan over medium-low heat, melt half of the butter with the oil. Add the stems and saut�, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the leaves and continue to saut�, stirring often, until wilted, about 2 minutes longer. Add � cup water and a pinch of salt, cover; reduce the heat to low, and simmer until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain the chard and return it to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan to keep the chard warm.

Half fill a large saut� pan with water, add the vinegar and � teaspoon salt, and bring to a boil over high heat; reduce the heat to maintain a bare simmer. Break one egg into a small cup, then gently slip the egg into the water. Working quickly, repeat with the remaining eggs. Allow to cook, basting once or twice with the simmering water and using a slotted spoon to keep the eggs separate, until the whites are completely set and the yolks look glazed but are still soft, 3 to 4 minutes for runny yolks or up to 5 minutes for firmer yolks.

Meanwhile, cut the remaining butter into small bits and stir into the chard, tossing to coat evenly. Divide among four warmed plates and make a nest in the center of each mound.

When the eggs are ready, using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a cutting board and use a knife to trim the ragged edges. Place an egg in each chard nest and serve right away.

Makes 4 servings






❧ Notes:

� Salt water: Adding salt to the simmering water in which eggs are poached helps season them all the way through, in the same way that salted water seasons pasta as it boils.

� Rainbow chard: For a wildly colorful presentation, use rainbow chard for this dish, which offers red-, yellow-, and white-stemmed Swiss chard in every bunch.