4.18.2010

Fettuccine with Rainbow Chard, Proscuitto & Parmesan

This blog has taken over my life. Where once I would seek out one item at the market and find one day a week to make it, this weekend I got FOUR new things to try at the farmers market. In this post, I took on the farmers market challenge of Rainbow Chard.
I mean, how could I pass up a new vegetable challenge that comes in a Lilly Pulitzer palette?  As luck would have it, I ran into Shaw Girl at the market and she told me she had a great recipe for a fettuccine with chard.  Using that recipe as a jumping off point, I improvised with shallots, garlic, parmesan, cream and wine that I had on hand, as well as some Red Apron Butchery proscuitto from the Penn Quarter Farmers Market.

I was cooking for the family after a full day at work, so I didn't do a great job of writing down the recipe as I tossed ingredients in the pan, but when you combine these fresh, local ingredients, it's tough to mess it up.

Fettuccine with Rainbow Chard, Proscuitto & Parmesan
Ingredients
1 bunch Rainbow Chard (other types will work as well)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small shallot diced
1/2 cup parmesan (set aside 1/4 for topping)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup white wine
prosciutto (or other protein) in 1/2 inch pieces
1 package fettuccine
olive oil
salt & pepper
1 T flour

1. Trim the colorful ends of the chard off and cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Set aside. Tear green leafy chard into strips.

2. On medium heat, coat pan with olive oil, add garlic, shallots and diced ends of chard stems. Cook for 5-6 minutes. (At the same time, begin cooking the fettuccine)

3. Add leafy strips of chard and proscuitto to the pan. Pour wine, 1/4 cup of the parmesan and cream over top and cook until wilted. About 3 minutes.

4.  Continue cooking down.  If the sauce has too much liquid, add a tablespoon of flour to thicken. Add salt and pepper to taste.


5. Combine with fettuccine and serve immediately. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup of parmesan to taste.


Enjoy and bask in the glow of your appreciative family...

PS. The other market items this week were the radishes. Next up, the asparagus. And then still to-be-made spring ramps!

1 comment:

mary said...

This looks amazing. I think I might try it.