Green Persian Stew
Chard can be a tricky vegetable. I think it’s the vegeable that most people ask me “how should I eat this?!”. My normal standard suggestion is to stirfry it. I love it stirfried with just a bit of garlic and soya sauce. Of course you can add it (like you would with any green leafy thing, spinach, kale etc) to soups and stews, but sometime the strong earthy chard flavour can end up being a little over-powering.
However, when Claire suggested this stew, I knew that it would be a winner. The punchy flavours of preserved lemon and fenugreek hold up really well against the chard. It’s like a persian Sag Aloo. I love it.
Developed by Claire, for our volunteer lunch last week. Enjoy!
Serves 4
Ingredients:
400g chard (or perpetual spinach - it’s the same plant!)
1 onion
500g potatoes (waxy if you have them)
3/4 tsp turmeric
½ tsp salt
Handful of nasturtium leaves
Large bunch of flat leaf parsley
½ preserved lemon
¼ tsp dried fenugreek
500ml veg stock
1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon (optional)
Cherry tomatoes (optional)
Method:
Wash then separate the stems and leaves of the chard. Set aside the leaves for the moment.
Thinly slice the chard stems, finely chop the onion and then soften both in a deep saucepan over a low heat with a good glug of olive oil.
While the onion and chard stems are cooking, chop the potatoes into inch chunks.
One the chard stem and onion mix has softened, add in 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, salt and potato chunks. Stir until the veg is evenly coated.
Keep on the heat for a further 5 minutes, giving a couple of good stirs occasionally.
Meanwhile, prepare the chard leaves and herbs. Stack the chard leaves on top of one another, then roll into a thick leafy cigar and cut into thin slices.
Roughly chop your parsley, nasturtium leaves and preserved lemon. If you are feeling, lazy pop the herbs and lemon into a blender and whizz.
Remove the sauted vegtable mix from your saucepan, and set aside. Add another glug of olive oil to the saucepan, and sweat off the shedded chard leaves.
Once sweated down, add in the chopped herbs and preserved lemon, stir to combine and cook off for a couple of minutes.
Add in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon turmeric and the dried fenugreek, give another stir then pop in the sauted vegetable mix.
Pour in the vegetable stock, again stir to make sure everything is combined, and to lift anything off the bottom of the pan.
Bring the stew up to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for about an hour. Stir occasionally, making sure nothing catches the bottom.
When the stew is silky, and the potatoes are tender, throw in some cherry tomatoes for extra colour and little bursts of flavour. Take off the heat and season with salt and pepper and lemon juice to taste.
Serve with basmati rice and pink pickled onions.