Sauteed Swiss Chard or Spinach with Pine Nuts and Golden Raisins

In Catalonia, this is an everyday first course, with spinach or kale sometimes standing in for the Swiss chard. Cooks in the Balearic Islands combine these same ingredients to make the filling for cocarrois, their traditional vegetable turnovers.
A handful of sliced mushrooms can be sauteed along with the greens to serve more people or add variety.

Yield:
6 to 8 as a side dish
Category:
Vegetables
Cuisine:
Spanish

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 2 lbs. clean fresh spinach or Swiss chard leaves
  • 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
  • 1/2 cup raisins, soaked in hot water to soften
  • salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

  1. In a saute pan over medium-high heat, melt the olive oil and butter. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute without burning.
  2. Add chard (spinach) and raisins. Let cook until chard (spinach) is wilted, about 9 minutes. If required, drain any excess liquid, using a colander.
  3. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, as a side dish or in hollowed-out tomatoes.
  4. If necessary, remove from heat, set aside, and reheat just before serving.

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