Braised Silverbeet
Ingredients
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp dried mixed herbs or add 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
pinch cayenne pepper or chilli flakes
1 large bunch of silverbeet, see preparation below
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
cold water
salt & pepper
Description
When silverbeet is plentiful, this is a warming soup, that is both nutritious and delicious! While it's low calorie, it's high on flavour, texture and satiety.
The recipe below feeds 2-3 people as a base for a main course, with fish and crusty bread.
Method
Sweat onion and garlic in the bottom of a stock pot or large saucepan with some olive oil, until tender. Season.
To prepare silverbeet: firstly, chop the white stalks up to about 2 cm below the green leaves and discard, then separate green leaves from the remaining white stalks. Chop the white stalks, into smallish pieces (they add crunch to the final dish, so you don't want to dice them too finely). Chop the remaining leaves roughly into bite size pieces.
Add the chopped white stalks to the tender onions and saute until just tender (about 5-7 minutes). Add the herbs and cayenne pepper or chilli flakes at this stage.
Add the chopped silverbeet leaves and parsley to the pot, and stir them through the onion/white stalk base. Let them wilt for a couple of minutes, before adding the tinned tomatoes and pour in 1 tin equivalent of cold water. Stir again to blend everything together.
Bring the pot to a simmer and, if required, add more water, depending on how much liquid you want in the end. Bear in mind, some liquid will come out of the silverbeet during the cooking process. Season to taste at this stage.
Cover the pot and simmer gently for about 30-45 minutes, checking every 10 minutes or so on the liquid level. Add more water and stir through as required.
Rest for 10 minutes before serving in heated bowls. Top with a piece of grilled or pan fried fish and serve with crusty bread.
Categories
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