Swiss Chard Rolls

With Jennifer Frost & Lindsey Wishart

Parties this time of year require appetizers. Jennifer and Lindsey of Chive Sustainable Event Design & Catering were looking for a way to use some locally grown Swiss Chard and came up with this simple but delicious recipe. They par boil the Swiss chard for 1 minute and then roll each leave with a rolling pin. As Food columnist Heather Atwood says in the video, “This is brilliant!” It works perfectly and when the leaves are stuffed with some roasted squash, cranberry sauce, walnuts and goat cheese.

The Chive philosophy is to be totally dedicated to local farmers and sustainability. After seeing how easy, healthy and beneficial to the local community this recipe is you will know why they are becoming one of the most sought after food providers on the North Shore.

In the video they also offer ideas on how to alter the basic recipe based on the season and local produce availability.

Ingredients

Swiss Chard Rolls
1 butternut squash
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup fresh goat cheese (we love the tangy flavor of Valley View Farm's fresh chevre)
6 to 8 large Swiss Chard leaves
1 cup Cranberry Chutney
Salt & pepper to taste Cranberry Chutney
1 shallot
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh sage
1 quart fresh Cape Cod cranberries
2 glugs red wine (a large gulp of liquid)
1 glug apple cider
2 apples, peeled and diced
1 handful fresh mint, roughly chopped

Instructions

1. Roast butternut squash until soft enough to scoop out the flesh, set aside.
2. Toast chopped walnuts.
3. Crumble fresh goat cheese.
4. Boil a large pot of water. Dip each swiss chard leaf into hot water 1 or 2 at a time. Lay leaves out on flat surface, cut off the stem to be even with bottom of chard leaf, roll over the center stem with a rolling pin to flatten. Repeat this step until you have about 6-8 leaves all lined up for assembly.
5. Start with a spoonful of roasted squash, then some crumbled goat cheese, a teaspoon of cranberry chutney, sprinkle of walnuts, salt and pepper.

Now, rock and roll! Just like a burrito, fold bottom over filling tightly, then fold in the sides and tuck and roll.  If the first couple may look uneven or loose, just wrap them tightly and keep going.  They should look like stuffed grape leaves, just much fresher tasting!

Try with roasted turkey or pork for a meaty version.  Enjoy! For the Cranberry Chutney: 1. Saute shallot in olive oil with sprigs of fresh rosemary, thyme or sage until beginning to brown.
2. Add fresh Cape Cod cranberries, a couple good glugs of red wine and a glug of apple cider.
3. Dice two local apples, set aside.
4. Rough chop a handful of fresh mint.
5. Cook cranberries until they've popped and the liquid has reduced by half.
6. Remove from heat and add apples and mint, stir and cool, remove any woody sprigs of rosemary or thyme.

Recipe courtesy of Jennifer Frost and Lindsey Wishart, Chive Sustainable Event Design and Catering, 2010.

It all started at Atomic Cafe in Beverly, MA. Jennifer Frost & Lindsey Wishart had been college friends for years & over endless fair-trade coffees, shared a hopeful vision for their future business. What this business would be called was a mystery at the time. What they did know were the basics.  Beautiful food, local sources, & incredible service for our community.

It was decided, Chive would be the first Boston based Sustainable Event Design & Catering business, offering a unique approach to special occasions. We felt such events deserved to be marked with memorable food, glowing service & exciting spaces. Chive would pride themselves on choosing local venders that shared similar values to their own. In supporting the community, Chive could bring an unspoken energy to each event. An energy that would stem from food, products & materials that were made with care then paired with others like them.