As a kid I remember my grandmother talking about how much she loved Swiss chard, but the weird thing is, I never saw her eat it—ever. But she always had it in the garden and she attributed her good health, even in her old age, to eating Swiss chard. Coincidentally, her name was Gramma Green! I find Swiss chard to be one of the most interesting and delicious greens around. Here I use both the stems and the leaves and mix them with turnips. People give turnips a bad rap, but I think it’s just because they haven’t experienced them. I realize I’m combining two ingredients in this dish that people might not think of eating on their own, let alone together, but I’m on a mission to make Swiss chard and turnips popular. And if any dish with chard and turnips can turn you on, I’m betting this one can!

　　

Ingredients

serves: 4

　　Kosher salt

　　1 bunch of baby turnips, tops removed

　　Extra virgin olive oil

　　1/2 cup pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch dice

　　2 cloves garlic, smashed

　　Pinch of crushed red pepper

　　1 bunch of Swiss chard, stems removed and cut into 1/2-inch lengths, leaves cut into 1-inch ribbons

　　1/2 cup chicken or veggie stock (see page 85)

　　

Step 1

Bring a medium pot of super-salty water to a boil. How do you know if it’s super-salty? TASTE IT! Toss in the baby turnips, let the water come back to a boil, and cook until fork-tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the turnips and let cool.

　　

Step 2

When the turnips are cool enough to handle, use a clean kitchen towel to rub the skin off. Cut into quarters and reserve.

　　

Step 3

Coat a large sauté pan lightly with olive oil, add the pancetta, garlic, and red pepper, and bring to medium-high heat. When the garlic has turned a lovely golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, remove it from the pan and ditch it—it has fulfilled its garlic destiny!

　　

Step 4

When the pancetta becomes brown and crispy, add the turnips, chard stems, and stock and cook until the stock has mostly evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes.

　　

Step 5

Add the chard leaves and sauté until just wilted. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

　　Cook Like a Rock Star