Beef-Stuffed Swiss Chard Rolls with Yogurt Sauce

(from Lucianolinda’s recipe box)

Serbian in origin

Source: Arkansas Democrat Gazette- Svetlana Watkins

Serves 4 people

Categories: Beef- main dish

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups plain whole-milk or low-fat yogurt (not Greek)
  • 10 large Swiss chard leaves
  • 2 tsp. extra- virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 medium onion, cut into small dice
  • 1 lb. lean ground beef
  • 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • 4 tsp. sweet paprika, divided use
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 3/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided use
  • 3/4 tsp. ground black pepper, divided use

Directions

  1. Place the yogurt in a medium bowl and keep it at room temperature until ready to serve.
  2. Swish the chard leaves in a large bowl of cool water to clean them; pat dry. Fold each leaf in half lengthwise and slice out the bottom and central portions of the stem, working from the center of the left downward. (you want the two halves to stay connected. up top.) When unfolded, each leaf should look like an upside down V. Finely chop the stems you just removed.
  3. Make the filling: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chard stems and onion until tender, about 10 minutes, adding 1 Tbsp. of water if skillet runs dry. Add the beef, tomato paste, 3 tsp. of the paprika, the cinnamon, 1 1/2 tsp. of the salt and 1/2 tp. of the pepper. Increase heat to medium-high, cook until beef is no longer pink, breaking it up as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
  4. Work with one chard leaf at a time. Lay s leaf on a work surface, positioning it with the slit ends at the top. So it now resembles a regular V. The bumpy side of the leaf should face down and the concave part should face up. Scoop 1/4 to 1/3 cup of filling onto the leaf near the bottom, then lightly roll it up burrito style, pushing in the sides and forcing the slit top together as you encase the filling. Tuck back any filling that pops out. Transfer the packet to the skillet, placing it seam side
  5. down next to the remaining filling. Repeat with the remaining chard leaves and filling.

  6. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1 tsp. of paprika and the remaining 1/4 tsp. each of salt and pepper with 2/3 cup water; pour it into the skillet around the rolls. Bring the liquid to a boil over medium heat, then cover the skillet, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the rolls are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
  7. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the rolls to a platter. Whisk the yogurt vigorously, then spoon it over the rolls. Serve,

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