I know, Swiss Chard, sounds to healthy to taste good. But it is. Actually, these enchiladas were fabulous and very easy to make.
So lets talk a little bit about Swiss Chard....
Swiss Chard is a leafy green, but it is actually a member of the beet family, which is something I just learn. I always thought it was a member of the spinach or kale families.
When the Swiss chard is young and tender, it is great in salads. However, when it is mature, it becomes tougher and can have a more bitter flavor. For this recipe, we will be using the mature chard.
When the mature chard is used, the leafy green portion is removed from the stem, as the stem can be tougher. However, in this recipe, we will use the stems. To deal with the tougher stem, we will just be cooking it longer, and then later adding the leaves.
Lets talk nutrition: Swiss Chard is high in vitamins A, K, and C. It is also a great source of potassium, iron, and manganese. And of course it is a great source of fiber.
So lets get to the recipe so that you can get to cooking! Here you go...
Ingredients:
2 - 8 oz. cans green enchilada sauce
1-2 jalapenos, minced
2 large bunches of Swiss chard
1 medium onion, diced
8 tortillas, corn or flour
8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/4 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
1 large handful of cilantro, chopped
salt
Preparation:
Prepare the chard by removing the leaves from the stems. Chopped the stems into small pieces, rinse thoroughly, and set aside. Cut the leaves into ribbons, and again, rinse and set aside.
In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp. olive oil on high heat. Add the onion and saute for about 1 minute. Then add the chard stems and cook for another minute. Next, add the chard leaves. Add 1/4 cup of water and 1 tsp of salt, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until tender. Then remove the lid and cook off any remaining moisture. We don't want watery enchiladas!
In a bowl, combine the Monterey Jack cheese, the chard/onion mixture, and the cilantro.
In another container, mix the green enchilada sauce and the desired amount of jalapeno.
Now to put it all together...
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Scoop about 1 cup of the enchilada sauce into the bottom of a 9"x 13" casserole dish.
Take each tortilla and dip it in the remaining enchilada sauce one at a time, lay it in the casserole dish, and fill it with about 1/4 cup of the cheese/chard mixture. Roll up and place seam side down in the casserole. Repeat this for all the tortillas.
Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over top of the enchiladas. Sprinkle with another couple of ounces of Monterey and the Parmesan cheese.
Bake for about 25 minutes, until it bubbles on the sides and the cheese is melted.
Take out of the oven, and sprinkle with additional cilantro for garnish.
Enjoy!
As always... Eat Well, and Be Kind!
