Smoky Braised Swiss Chard with Crispy Bacon and Pickled Onions

Tender Swiss chard gets a flavour boost from smoky bacon and grainy mustard. It might seem like a lot of chard initially in the non-stick shallow casserole, but it will quickly cook down and become tender with the addition of a little stock and steam. Be sure not to skip the pickled onions, they keep in the fridge for up to two weeks and can be used to garnish salads, soups, meats and other side dishes.

Pickled Onions

3/4 cup water

1 cup white vinegar

2 teaspoons whole grain mustard

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Kosher salt

1 small red onion, sliced thinly

3 cloves garlic, sliced thinly

Braised Chard

3 slices thick cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 bunch Swiss chard; cleaned, dried and cut into large ribbons

Salt

1/4 cup chicken stock

Freshly ground black pepper

For the pickled onions:

Place the water, vinegar, mustard, black peppercorns, sugar and 1 tablespoon salt in a small saucepot.  Bring to a boil and them reduce to a simmer. Simmer until the sugar and salt is dissolved, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat.

Place the sliced onion and garlic in a 450g jar. Pour the vinegar mixture over the onions to pickle.  Let the onion pickle for at least one hour before serving. They can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

For the braised chard:

Arrange the bacon slices in a shallow casserole. Place over medium heat and cook until the bacon is browned and crispy, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon from the shallow casserole and place on a paper towel lined plate to remove excess grease. Drain any excess grease from the pan, leaving about 1 tablespoon to cook the greens.

Add the swiss chard to the pan, season with salt and toss to combine with the bacon fat. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Cover the pan with the lid and let the greens braise until they are tender, about 15 minutes.  Season the greens to taste with black pepper and more salt as needed. Serve garnished with the bacon and the pickled onions on the side.