Stuffed Chard Leaves
8 large chard leaves
1 lb. ground beef
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
½ cup minced onion
¼ cup dried cherries
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
2 tsp. fresh oregano, chopped
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 pinch allspice
1 can tomato sauce, divided
3 oz. sharp cheddar cheese
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Set a bowl of ice water next to the pot. Cut stems of chard stalks off at the base of each leaf, leaving center rib intact. Blanch chard leaves in boiling water until soft and flexible but not so tender that they will tear, about 1 minute. Shock the chard in the ice bath and then dry with paper towels. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Gently knead beef, feta, onions, cherries, pine nuts, oregano, salt, pepper and allspice in a large bowl until combined. Divide into 8 even portions and shape into miniature loaf shapes. Coat a 9 by 11 baking dish with cooking spray. Spread ½ cup tomato sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Lay chard leaf on work surface. Place portion of meat mixture widthwise, toward one end of the chard leaf. Wrap the meat up with the chard leaf by tucking in sides and rolling up into a tight little bundle. Place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining chard and filling. Pour the remaining tomato sauce on top of the chard rolls. Cover with a layer of parchment and a layer of foil. Transfer to the oven and bake until the beef mixture is heated through and reaches 164 degrees when tested with an instant read thermometer, 33 to 40 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle with cheddar. Return to the oven and bake until cheese is melted, 4 to 5 minutes longer. Remove from the oven, let rest before serving.
8 large chard leaves
1 lb. ground beef
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
½ cup minced onion
¼ cup dried cherries
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
2 tsp. fresh oregano, chopped
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 pinch allspice
1 can tomato sauce, divided
3 oz. sharp cheddar cheese
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Set a bowl of ice water next to the pot. Cut stems of chard stalks off at the base of each leaf, leaving center rib intact. Blanch chard leaves in boiling water until soft and flexible but not so tender that they will tear, about 1 minute. Shock the chard in the ice bath and then dry with paper towels. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Gently knead beef, feta, onions, cherries, pine nuts, oregano, salt, pepper and allspice in a large bowl until combined. Divide into 8 even portions and shape into miniature loaf shapes. Coat a 9 by 11 baking dish with cooking spray. Spread ½ cup tomato sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Lay chard leaf on work surface. Place portion of meat mixture widthwise, toward one end of the chard leaf. Wrap the meat up with the chard leaf by tucking in sides and rolling up into a tight little bundle. Place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining chard and filling. Pour the remaining tomato sauce on top of the chard rolls. Cover with a layer of parchment and a layer of foil. Transfer to the oven and bake until the beef mixture is heated through and reaches 164 degrees when tested with an instant read thermometer, 33 to 40 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle with cheddar. Return to the oven and bake until cheese is melted, 4 to 5 minutes longer. Remove from the oven, let rest before serving.