the thin chef

This week has been kind of meh. It’s just been one of those weeks where the days seem to drag, and nothing goes the way you really want it to…there’s nothing specific under my skin, just a collective feeling of meh.

I should have come home and run, but all I wanted to do was sleep. Since that wasn’t a viable option, I chose the next best thing: comfort food. I filled Clotilde’s olive oil tart crust (a favorite of mine) with a mix of corn, sauteed swiss chard, and a chipotle-spiked mix of eggs and milk. I topped half with goat cheese (Jason’s doesn’t like it) for a finishing touch. You could omit the corn altogether, and use spinach or another leafy green—just be sure to really squeeze out all the water.

You can cook the filling while the tart crust par-bakes, and then the whole thing bakes another 30 minutes, so dinner’s ready in under an hour…30 minutes of which you can do something else, like watch an episode of Friends or something more responsible like fold laundry or vacuum the living room.

Creamy and satisfying, but not too heavy or rich, filled with veggies for a boost of vitamins and all the other good stuff that comes along with the leafy greens. In short, a perfect midweek meal to break up the blahs.

Swiss Chard + Corn Tart
makes 1 9-inch tart, serves 2 with leftovers
{Prepare the tart crust per Clotilde’s instructions, but in a 9-tart pan, and bake it for at least 20 minutes, or until it’s crisp and golden. It won’t cook much more when the eggs and filling are inside. Fresh corn is all but gone from the markets so I used my pantry standby, Del Monte Summercrisp corn, which is canned but I find to be crisper than many frozen varieties.}

1 large bunch swiss chard, washed but not dried
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
Pinch salt and pepper
4 large eggs
1/3 cup half-and-half
1/2 chipotle in adobo, minced, plus 1 teaspoon adobo
Small handful oats
3/4 (11-ounce) can Summercrisp corn, or 1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1/4 cup crumbled soft goat cheese

Preheat oven to 400º.

Separate chard leaves from tough stems. Slice the stems, and chop the leaves into bite-size pieces. Add the stems and oil to a saute pan with a lid over medium-high heat. Cover, and cook until stems are beginning to soften. Add onion, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the chard leaves, and toss to combine. Cook, tossing, until leaves are wilted but still hold their shape, about 4 minutes.

Pour the chard mixture into a seive over the sink, and press with the back of a spoon until the mixture is dry. When it cools, squeeze with your hands to remove any extra liquid.Whisk together eggs and half-and-half until uniform. Add the chipotle, and whisk to combine.

Sprinkle the oats in the bottom of the baked crust (a trick from Clotilde to soak up any excess liquid). Evenly spread the corn over the bottom of the crust, then top with the chard mixture, pressing so it’s evenly spread around the crust. Pour the egg mixture over the filling, then sprinkle with goat cheese, pressing very lightly to slightly submerge.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until center is set and tart is puffed and golden-brown on the edges. Cool slightly before serving.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009 at 8:54 pm and is filed under basic techniques, money saving, vegetables, vegetarian, whole grain. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.