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Swiss Chard & Lavender Roll Ups

Plate of Swiss Chard Rollups
Plate of Swiss Chard Rollups

It is late spring and the garden is starting to take off. The Swiss Chard is growing like a weed and it’s a perfect time to try lots of new ways to use those big leaves in creative ways. These roll ups are just the thing for a tasty plate of hors d’oeuvres that have good flavor and are good for you.

Makes 20

Ingredients

  • 5 large leaves of Swiss Chard (you can substitute kale or spinach)
  • 3/4 C Onion, chopped
  • 4 Cloves Garlic, chopped
  • 2 Tbl Olive Oil
  • 2 1/2 tsp Thyme, fresh or 1 tsp dried
  • 1 tsp Lavender, dried, ground
  • 1/4 C Almonds, chopped
  • 3/4 C Asagio Cheese, hard, grated
  • 1 Egg
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
  • Toothpicks for roasting

mise-en-place-swiss-chard mise-en-place-cheese mise-en-place-almonds mise-en-place-thyme mise-en-place-lavender mise-en-place-egg mise-en-place-salt-pepper mise-en-place-onion-garlic

Mix the filling

Chop onion, garlic, thyme, and lavender.

Chopped onions and garlic
Chopped onions and garlic

In a fry pan with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil sauté the onions and garlic. When barely starting to brown, add Thyme and Lavender, Salt and Pepper. Stir frequently so the vegetables just get a little bit more brown. 

Sauteed onions, garlic, and herbs
Sauteed onions, garlic, and herbs

Then remove from heat and put into another bowl to cool.

Filling all mixed together
Filling all mixed together

Add egg and stir until blended. Then add the Asagio cheese and the chopped almonds and stir until they are all mixed in.

Prepare the leaves

Wash and de-stem the leaves and break into pieces that are about 4” square. They will vary in size and shape, that’s ok. Save the stems of the Swiss Chard for soups, or just sautéing with other veggies in another meal.

Pieces of chard ready for filling
Pieces of chard ready for filling

Form the roll ups 

Put them vein side up and spoon in about a teaspoon of filling per leave piece.

Spooned in filling
Spooned in filling

Almost as if you are wrapping a little package, fold over sides first 

Fold first side
Fold first side
Fold second side
Fold second side

then the ends.

Fold one end
Fold one end
then fold the other end
then fold the other end

Put a toothpick through to hold it from falling open

then fold the other end
Put in toothpick

and place onto a cookie sheet that has been greased with butter or oil (I started using coconut oil for this and it’s releases well).

then fold the other end
Ready to bake

After you have filled your pan, roast them for about 12 minutes in the 350º oven.

Baked and cooling
Baked and cooling

Take them out and cool them on the pan. They will be slightly crispy when you take them out, but they will soften a bit as they cool.

Plate them up and add a garnish of sprigs of lavender and thyme if you want.

Plate of Swiss Chard Rollups
Plate of Swiss Chard Rollups

This is a Plan Friendly recipe.

PS. Use the stems from the swiss chard for soups or stir fry. In this recipe we used Rainbow Chard, and those stems are so pretty!

Baked and cooling
Swiss chard stems