Seared Red Chard Serves 4 2 bunches red chard 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/2 teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper, to taste Trim and discard the stems of the chard and wash and dry the leaves. Stack the leaves, roll into cylinders and cut across the rolls into 1-inch strips. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until bubbly. Sauté one-quarter of the leaves with 1/8 teaspoon of the salt and a pinch of the pepper until they are limp, 30 seconds to 1 minute. If the leaves begin to brown before they wilt, sprinkle in a few drops of water for steam. Transfer to a covered platter and repeat the procedure with the remaining 3 batches of chard. Serve immediately.

© 2010 Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger.  All rights reserved.