entree Archive

Spring Sandwich with Avocado, Radish, and Greens.

And just like that, everything is new again.

The chill of winter has lifted and life is springing forth from the ground. I see it all around me and I feel it in my bones.

Spring has come.

With the spring comes change. For me, this time of year means many different things; it is a time of celebration, a time of plenty, and a time of joy. It is a time for farmer’s markets and radishes and ramps and spring greens. It is a time for opening up the windows, a time for letting the sunlight and fresh air in.

For some of us, this season is also a time of remembrance. A time of fasting and prayer, in preparation for the death and resurrection of Christ. For the past few years, Nich and I have observed Great Lent (aka Orthodox Lent). For six weeks, we abstain from meat, dairy, and alcohol, in preparation for the Easter Feast (Pascha).

I am only one week into Great Lent, but I already feel the effects of fasting. I feel focused and rested, contemplative and clear-minded. I feel hopeful and grateful. And yet, I am struck by the realization that I have so much. I have the freedom to abstain from luxuries such as meat, cheese, and wine. I know that there are many (many) people in this world who aren’t afforded this choice. They abstain because they do not have.

It is a sobering realization that I do not take lightly. Such is the nature of this season – it is a time of hope and of heaviness.

All that said, here’s to spring and all that it brings.

Spring Sandwich with Radishes, Avocado, and Spring Greens

Serving Size: Serves 2

Ingredients

1 large ripe avocado
1 small red onion
1 heaping cup spring greens (baby kale, arugula, spinach, chard, lettuce, etc.), washed and patted dry.
3 radishes
Slices of whole wheat sourdough (or other bread of your choice)
Whole grain mustard
Red wine vinegar
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Salt & pepper

Instructions

First, I like to ‘quick pickle’ the red onion. You don’t have to pickle the red onion, but I think it adds a nice vinegary kick to the sandwich. To pickle the onion, first peel the onion and slice 1/4 of the onion into very thin slices (reserve the rest for another use). Place the onion slices in a small bowl and sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt over the onions. Pour red wine vinegar over the onions, just enough to cover and stir to coat. Allow to sit for 15 minutes (or more).
Meanwhile, assemble the sandwiches. In a small bowl, toss the greens with a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper. (Be careful not to overdress, use only a little olive oil and lemon juice.)
Spread a thin layer of whole grain mustard onto a piece of bread. Top with half of the greens. Slice the avocado in half, and cut the half into thin slices (reserving the other half for a second sandwich). Arrange the avocado slices atop the greens.
Using a knife or mandoline, slice the radishes into very thin rounds. Place radish slices atop the avocado.
Sprinkle a few of the pickled red onions atop the sandwich. Season with a bit of salt and freshly ground pepper. Top with another slice of bread, or enjoy as an open-faced sandwich.

http://rosemarried.co/2013/03/25/spring-sandwich-with-avocado-radish-and-greens/

Shepherd’s Pie with Potato, Parsnip, and Goat Cheese Mash

There is nothing fancy about Shepherd’s Pie. It isn’t pretty or exciting. In fact, it’s really quite unbecoming.

But darn it all, it tastes good. Shepherd’s Pie is the definition of good grub. (It is also the definition of 1950’s ‘casserole cuisine’.)

I made this Shepherd’s Pie the other night, in order to satisfy a a sudden and intense craving for wintery comfort food. It’s been quite chilly in Portland lately, and all I want to do is make soups, stews, and braises. Tis the season, I suppose. But, this particular craving for wintery comfort food was very specific. I really wanted to eat Shepherd’s Pie. To be honest, I can’t recall the last time I had a Shepherd’s Pie. I don’t think I’ve ever actually cooked one!

So I made a Shepherd’s Pie, and it was everything I hoped it would it. It was the epitome of wintery comfort food. Nich and I devoured it quickly and happily (he went back for thirds!).

The only problem with devouring it quickly? I only managed to snap one crappy iPhone photo of my rendition of Shepherd’s pie. Oh well. (Truth be told, even with a proper camera and lighting…it would still look ugly. That’s the thing about Shepherd’s pie. It’s just not a pretty dish.)

Since I don’t have a pretty photo to show for it, you’ll just have to trust me that this dish is worth making. So, if you feel yourself craving wintery comfort food, I recommend that you make this.

It’ll make you happy.

Shepherd’s Pie with Potato, Parsnip, and Goat Cheese Mash

Ingredients

1 pound (organic grass-fed) ground beef
1 small white onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 of a fennel bulb, diced
1 carrot, diced
2-3 tablespoons tomato paste
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 small red potatoes
2 parsnips
2 tablespoons goat cheese
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, minced
Salt & pepper, to taste
Optional ingredient: Duck fat. I usually cook with organic, grass-fed beef which is very lean. I wanted to add a little bit of fat into the mix (as fat is delicious!) so I drizzled a teaspoon of duck fat into the beef. I understand that most of you don’t just have a pint of duck fat sitting in your fridge, hence why I’m including this as an optional step. I will say, however, that the duck fat was really quite delicious.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 305 degrees F.
Chop potatoes and parsnips into 1″ cubes. (I like to leave the skins on the potatoes and peel the parsnips). Place in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and allow the potatoes & parsnips to simmer until fork tender (15-20 minutes). Once cooked, drain off the water. Mash the potatoes and parsnips with the goat cheese, milk, rosemary, and salt and pepper. Taste, and adjust seasonings as needed. Set aside.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on the stove in a large non-stick skillet. Cook the onions and garlic over medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Next, add in the fennel, celery, and carrots. Cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the veggies are lightly browned and tender. Remove the veggies to a small bowl and set aside.
Season the ground beef with salt, pepper, red chili flakes, and dried thyme. Return the skillet to the stove and cook the ground beef over medium heat, until browned (5-10 minutes). Once the beef is cooked, stir in the tomato paste and the cooked vegetables. Stir to combine and cook for 2-3 minutes. (If using duck fat, pour over the mixture now.)
Pour the mixture into a square (8×8) baking pan (or individual ramekins). Spread an even layer of the mashed potato mixture atop the beef. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until potato crust is just beginning to brown. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

http://rosemarried.co/2012/12/07/shepherds-pie-with-potato-parsnip-mash/

Roasted Carrot and Black Bean Tacos with Cilantro and Carrot Green Chimichurri

So, a funny thing happened while I was writing this post: I managed to delete the entire post right after writing it.

The incident happened late at night and I was already a little tired and crabby (and accidentally deleting my entire post didn’t help matters). I attempted a number of different tricks to recover the post, to no avail.

I had to start over.

The truth is, I didn’t want to start over. I wanted to scrap the post and move onto other things (and I very nearly did). But I made really delicious carrot tacos, damn it, and I wanted to share the recipe with you (come hell or high water)!

So here I am. I’m nearly a week late to the Recipe Swap party, but I made it. Happy swap, y’all!

(Oh, so this is the part of the post wherein you discover I turned Carrot Pie into Carrot Tacos. Tacos > Pie!)

ROASTED CARROT TACOS WITH CILANTRO AND CARROT GREEN CHIMICHURRI
Serves 2-3

Note: If you plan on making the chimichurri, be sure to buy carrots with their leafy green tops (as opposed to trimmed carrots)

Ingredients for the Roast Carrot tacos:
4 carrots (Reserve the green carrot tops for the chimichurri)
1-2 parnsips
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon lime zest
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 can of black beans
Corn tortillas

Optional garnishes:
Cotija cheese
Sliced radishes
Lime wedges

Ingredients for the Cilantro & Carrot Green Chimichurri
1 large handful of cilantro
Carrot greens (from the 4 carrots)
1 serrano chili, stem and seeds removed
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
Salt & pepper, to taste
The juice of 1 lime
1/4 olive oil

Method:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut the carrots and parnsips into 1/2″ chunks. Toss the carrots and parsnips with the olive oil, cumin, lime zest, salt, pepper, and half of the minced onions (reserve the rest of the onions for garnishing your tacos).

Spread the carrot mixture in an even layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 15-20 minutes, or until the carrots and parnsips are fork tender. (Be careful not to overcook, I prefer my carrots to still have a bit of crunch!). Once the carrots are roasted to your liking, remove from the oven and set aside until you are ready to assemble the tacos.

Meanwhile, heat the black beans in a small pan on the stove.

To assemble the chimichurri, pulse the garlic cloves and serrano chili together in a food processor. Add in the carrot greens, cilantro, salt, pepper, and lime juice and process while pouring the olive oil in a steady stream. Blend until the mixture is well combined. (Note: I prefer my chimichurri to have a little bit of texture, so I’m careful not to over-mix.)

To assemble the tacos, fill each tortilla with a heaping spoonful of black beans and a heaping spoonful of the roasted veggies. Top with diced onions, cotija cheese, and the chimichurri. Garnish with lime juice and a dash of your favorite hot sauce!

Beet and Walnut Pesto

No, it isn’t February.

And I’m certainly not celebrating Valentine’s Day a month late.

Nope. I made hot pink pasta just for the heck of it.

I came across this recipe on Pinterest a while back and was absolutely enthralled with the idea of a beet pesto. For starters, IT’S HOT PINK PASTA. What more could I possibly want?

In addition to being the coolest looking pasta on the planet, I had a hunch that beet pesto pasta would taste amazing. I used to hate beets, but in recent years I’ve been converted. I think you could even call me ‘beet obsessed’ (See examples: A, B, C, and D).

I find that I make a lot of pesto during Great Lent, as it’s easily adapted to fit within a vegan diet. As much as I love pesto, it can get old quickly. Hence, why I was so excited to try out an entirely different version of pesto.

The beet pesto turned out brilliantly. Somehow, it tastes similar to a classic basil pesto, even though it doesn’t contain basil, pine nuts, or parmesan. However, unlike a classic basil pesto, this pesto has a touch of sweetness and an earthy quality from the beets. I’m not sure how it all works, but it does. It’s rich, flavorful, and unexpected.

One quick word of caution: don’t wear white when you eat this pesto! It’s a hot pink disaster waiting to happen. :)

BEET AND WALNUT PESTO
Adapted from Pearlsa.com

Ingredients:
2-3 medium sized beets, roasted* and skins removed
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
2-3 garlic cloves, smashed
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
1/4 cup toasted walnuts (plus more, for garnish)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
salt & pepper, to taste
1 package whole wheat spaghetti

*The beets can be roasted ahead of time. To roast the beets, simply wrap each whole beet in tinfoil and roast (on a baking sheet) in a 400 degree oven for 40 minutes to an hour, or until the beets are soft all the way through when pricked with a knife. Once the beets are cool enough to handle, peel off the skin (should peel off easily). Beets can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days prior to use.

Method:

Place the walnuts in a food processor (or blender) and process for a minute (until finely chopped). Add in the garlic and half of the olive oil, and process until combined. Chop the beets into small chunks and add in the beets, sun dried tomatoes, lemon juice, chili flakes, salt, pepper, and the rest of the olive oil. Process until the mixture is well-blended and smooth, stopping occasionally to scrap down the sides. Refrigerate the beet pesto if not using immediately.

Cook noodles according to the package directions. When the noodles are done, toss with a generous amount of the beet pesto, until the noodles are well coated. Garnish with extra chopped (toasted) walnuts, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a grind of fresh black pepper. (I also served the pasta alongside some roasted asparagus, which worked nicely with the pasta.)

Note: I had quite a bit of the pesto sauce leftover, and used it the next day to make a grilled avocado sandwich. I spread a thick layer of the beet pesto on wheat bread, and then topped it with avocado, arugula, radishes, and pickled onions. It was AMAZING.

Recipe Swap: Flatbread Pizza with Butternut Squash, Chickpeas & Radicchio Slaw with Tahini

I must admit, I almost entirely forgot to make something for this month’s Recipe Swap.

But let me back up for a moment, as I try to explain my strange and busy week to you all.

Great Lent started last Monday, February 27th. For those of you who know me (or have been reading this blog for a while), you probably already know that my husband and I participate in the Greek Orthodox tradition of Great Lent. (I’ve written about our Lenten experiences in the past, so feel free to read last year’s post if you’re curious.) Essentially, it means I won’t be consuming meat, dairy, or alcohol for the next six weeks.

So, Lent started last Monday. And then Thursday I flew to Las Vegas for a mini-vacation with a couple of my girlfriends. As much as I love the practice of Lent, being a vegan (who doesn’t drink) in Las Vegas just isn’t practical (or fun!). So I cheated on my Lenten diet for a few days, and now I’m back to normal Lenten life.

That being said, last week was strange. And in the midst of the insanity of last week, I realized I needed to make something for this month’s Recipe Swap. This month, Christianna selected a basic pizza recipe for the group to re-create:

Due to my dietary restrictions and my busy pre-vacation schedule, I knew my pizza needed to be a.) vegan and b.) relatively quick and easy.

And this is what I came up with: a flatbread pizza with butternut squash puree, sauteed chickpeas, radicchio and endive slaw with tahini dressing. The recipe is a tribute to one of my all-time favorite vegan recipes, which is a Warm Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad from Smitten Kitchen. I took the basic ingredients and flavors of that salad, and turned them into a delectable vegan pizza. It was seriously awesome (and I will definitely be making this recipe again).

I apologize that this post is short and to the point, but I just got back from Las Vegas and I have a husband, cat, and bunny to snuggle with! I hope you enjoy the recipe, and please do check out my fellow swappers creations below.

FLATBREAD PIZZA WITH BUTTERNUT SQUSH, CHICKPEAS AND RADICCHIO SLAW WITH TAHINI
(Inspired from the flavors in Smitten Kitchen’s Warm Butternut Squash Salad)

Note: This recipe may look like it’s complicated, as it has so many different elements. Other than making the squash puree (which can be done ahead of time), each element of this pizza only took minutes to put together. It really was easy and quick!

Pizza ingredients:
3-4 pieces of Naan bread (or other flatbread. I used Trader Joe’s frozen Naan.)
3/4 cup butternut squash puree (See instructions and ingredients for puree below. Can be made ahead of time.)
1 small head of radicchio
1 small head of endive
1 large handful of flat leaf parsley
1/2 a large red onion, diced
1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds
1 jalapeno
1 can of chickpeas, rinsed
1/2 teaspoon of cumin
Salt & pepper, to taste
Lemon juice
Olive oil

Tahini sauce ingredients:
1 medium garlic clove, minced
The juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons water (more, if needed)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon minced parsley
Salt & pepper, to taste

METHOD.

Butternut squash puree:
1 butternut squash
Olive oil
Salt, pepper, nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squash in half (lengthwise) and remove seeds and pulp. Remove stem. Brush squash halves with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place squash on a lined baking sheet, face down. Roast in the oven until flesh very tender (30-45 minutes). Allow squash to cool. Scrape squash flesh off of the skin and puree using a blender or food processor. Season with a touch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Radicchio slaw:
Using a knife or mandoline, slice endive and radicchio very thinly (into a chiffonade). Toss the endive and raddichio mixture with a bit of olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mince 1/2 of the jalapeno (remove seeds) and add to slaw. Add most of the red onion (reserving some onion for the chickpea topping), a handful of chopped parsley, and the toasted almonds. Taste, and adjust seasonings. (Optional: you can also toss the radicchio slaw with some of the tahini sauce for extra tahini goodness.)

Tahini sauce:
Stir together tahini, olive oil, and lemon juice. The mixture will thicken and turn a lighter shade. Begin adding water, one spoonful at a time. Stir until the mixture is light and creamy, and the desired thickness. Stir in garlic and parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Chickpea topping:
In a small skillet or saucepan, heat a small amount of olive oil over medium heat. Add the rest of the red onion and allow to cook until soft, 3-4 minutes. Add the other 1/2 of the minced jalapeno and the rinsed chickpeas. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Season with cumin, salt, and pepper. Remove from the heat and stir in some chopped fresh parsley. Squeeze a bit of lemon juice over the top of the chickpea mixture. Set aside.

Assemble the pizzas:
Arrange naan or flatbread on a baking sheet. Spread an even layer of butternut squash puree over each piece of bread. Sprinkle a handful of the chickpea topping over each pizza. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 5-10 minutes, until the edges of the flatbread are golden brown and the underside is crisp. (If you’d like a little extra browning on top, you can always broil for a few seconds at the very end). Remove pizzas from oven and place a generous amount of the radicchio slaw on top. Drizzle tahini dressing over the top of the pizzas and serve immediately.

Recipe Swap: Quinoa Stuffed Poblano Peppers

I’m so pleased. I killed three (not two, three!) birds with one stone with this recipe.

Let me explain…

First of all, I made these stuffed poblano peppers for this month’s Recipe Swap. If you aren’t familiar, the recipe swap consists of 25 foodies and writers from all over the world, and each month we re-interpret a vintage recipe (selected by Christianna of Burwell General Store) and post our creations on the first Sunday of the month. This month, Christianna asked us to re-create a recipe for Wild Rice Dressing.

I was really excited to dive into this recipe. I love wild rice, and felt that this recipe could so easily be re-interpreted in a number of interesting ways. The possibilities were endless!

Which brings me to the second bird I killed with this post. This weekend, I went to a dinner party with friends out at a gorgeous Bed & Breakfast in Dundee. My friend Mari was making Pork Molé for the main course, and I wanted to bring a side dish that would compliment the molé. While dreaming up my dinner party side dish, I also realized that I still needed to make something for this month’s recipe swap. And thus the idea of Quinoa Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce was born.

The stuffed peppers were a fantastic tribute to the wild rice stuffing and they were the perfect compliment to pork molé tacos. (If you’re counting, that’s two birds…)

The third bird was more of a happy accident. I had a whole bunch of the quinoa and filling leftover, so I decided to make these stuffed peppers again for the Superbowl. I’m not a huge football fan, but I do like to use the Superbowl as an excuse to eat a lot of snack food and watch a few good commercials. And since I was asked to post a recipe on Superbowl Sunday, I think it is completely appropriate to make said recipe for a Superbowl snack! (Confession: this is the one day a year I allow myself to eat Doritos. Specifically, Salsa Verde Doritos. They’re so bad, but so good.)

So with one post, I created a recipe for the swap, a side dish that paired nicely with pork molé, and a radical Superbowl snack. Huzzah!

With that being said, happy Recipe Swap and happy Superbowl Sunday! If I were you, I’d skip the Madonna halftime show and instead I’d recommend you visit the Recipe Swap page to see all the amazing creations my fellow swappers made! ;)

Quinoa Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

For the Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
1 cup roasted red peppers
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (+ 1 teaspoon of the adobo sauce)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin

For the Quinoa Stuffed Peppers:
4 Poblano peppers
1.5 cups cooked quinoa (I used a tri-color quinoa blend, but any quinoa will work)
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 carrots, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
1 heaping cup roughly chopped swiss chard
1 can of black beans
1 cup frozen corn
Cotija cheese
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Salt & pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons roasted red pepper sauce

To make the roasted red pepper sauce:
Blend all sauce ingredients together in a food processor or blender. Taste, and adjust seasonings to your liking. Set aside until use.

To make the stuffed peppers:

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add in the diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add in garlic, carrots, and celery and continue to cook over medium heat until the vegetables are lightly browned, 5-7 minutes. Add in the chopped chard and cook until chard is wilted, another 4-5 minutes. Once the chard is cooked, add in the frozen corn and black beans. Cook until they are heated through. Turn off the heat and stir in quinoa and 3 tablespoons of the roasted red pepper sauce. Set aside until needed.

To prepare the poblano peppers, cut each in half and carefully remove the stems and seeds. Place poblano halves on a baking sheet and lightly brush each side with olive oil. Place poblanos under the broiler, and broil each side for 3-4 minutes (until starting to blacken on each side). Remove poblanos, and set aside to cool. At this point, turn off your broiler and set your oven to 350 degrees.

Once the poblanos are cool enough to handle, begin stuffing the peppers. Sprinkle a small amount of cotija cheese in the pepper halves, and then fill the pepper halves with the quinoa mixture. Sprinkle more cotija cheese over the top. Place in a baking dish, and arrange the poblano halves snugly in the dish (so that they support each other). Bake for 10-15 minutes in a 350 degree oven, or until the cheese is nicely browned and the peppers are cooked all the way through.

Serve warm, with roasted red pepper sauce.

Wintery Grilled Cheese (with Goat Cheese, Roasted Beets & Wilted Chard).

It’s a quiet winter Sunday and I’m puttering about the house and working on various projects (cleaning, organizing, laundry, etc). It’s freezing outside and the weather is manic; alternating between snow flurries and sunshine. I’ve got a chill in my bones that I can’t quite shake, and no amount of coffee seems to do the trick. I click back and forth between the Packers game and the Golden Globes, as I can’t decide which is more depressing.

I think it’s the perfect day to make a grilled cheese sandwich.

Why? Because grilled cheese is the perfect winter meal.

In addition, the grilled cheese sandwich is a prime example of a time-tested culinary rule: melty cheese + bread = culinary magic. (If interpreted loosely, this rule also applies to pizza, quesadillas, nachos, lasagna, mac n’ cheese, cheeseburgers, etc. You get the idea.)
So, this sandwich is essentially a dressed up version of the bread and cheese rule. I took a couple slices of quality bread and added goat cheese, roasted beets, wilted chard, caramelized onions, along with a healthy dollop of creamy horseradish.

The result? My new favorite winter meal. I’m not kidding. This sandwich is a wonderful tribute to the season, and utilizes some of my favorite winter vegetables: beets, onions, and chard. The creamy goat cheese melds together perfectly with the earthy winter veggies, and the horseradish gives the sandwich just the right amount of punch.

If this is what winter tastes like, then I hope winter lasts forever.

(OK, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit with that last sentence. At the very least, this sandwich makes the winter much more tolerable.)

Wintery Grilled Cheese: With Goat Cheese, Roasted Beets, and Wilted Chard.
(Inspired from a similar sandwich I consumed at Bunk Bar. Thank you, Tommy. You rule.)
Makes 4 hearty sandwiches.

Ingredients:
8 slices quality bread (I splurged on Grand Central Bakery’s Sliced Campagnolo. So good.)
4 ounces goat cheese (Chevre), room temperature
3 cups of rainbow chard, roughly chopped
1 large yellow onion, sliced thinly
2 medium-large beets
Horseradish, to taste

Method:
Roast the beets: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash beets and trim off beet greens, leaving a 1/2 inch “stem”. Wrap each beet individually in tin foil. Once the oven is hot, place wrapped beets directly on the oven rack (or on a pan, if you’d rather). Roast for 40 minutes (up to an hour), until beets are soft all the way through when pricked with a fork. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Once cool enough to handle, unwrap beets and remove skin. The skin should come off easily (I usually use a paper towel and gently rub off the skin). Set beets aside.

While the beets are roasting, caramelize the onions. In a medium size non-stick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil over medium-low heat. Once the oil is hot, add in the sliced onions. Allow to cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until brown and caramelized (about 30 minutes). If they begin to cook too quickly, turn the heat down to low. Remove the onions from the pan and set aside.

In the same skillet (no need to clean it, the onion flavor will just enhance the chard), heat a splash of oil over medium heat. Add in the chopped chard and allow to heat. Stir, and after a minute or two, add one tablespoon of water to the pan. Cover, and turn the heat down to medium-low. Allow the chard to cook like this for 5 minutes. Check on the chard, if the water has evaporated but the chard is still under-cooked, add a bit more water and cook for 2-3 more minutes. I like my chard leaves to be wilted, but I like the chard stems to still retain a bit of crunch. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Set aside until ready to make your sandwiches.

Once the beets, chard, and onions have cooked, your sandwiches are ready to assemble!

I trust that you all know how to make a grilled cheese sandwich, so I’m not going to go overboard with instructions. Essentially, spread a (thick) layer of goat cheese on one slice of bread. Top with beet slices, wilted chard, and caramelized onions. Spread creamy horseradish on the other slice of bread (along with a little more goat cheese, if you so desire). Butter the exterior of your bread slices, and cook your grilled cheese sandwiches on a griddle (or non-stick skillet) over medium-high heat. Cook sandwiches for 3-5 minutes on each side, until bread is golden and the goat cheese is warm and ‘melty’.

Note: goat cheese does not “melt” like other cheeses, but it will get warm, gooey, and delicious.