Swiss Chard Rolls with Beef, Rice and Leek stuffing

Swiss Chard Rolls with Beef, Rice and Leek stuffing

This sloppy looking thing is one of the most flavorful dishes I have ever made. Instead of grape leaves or cabbage leaves, you roll the beef, leek and rice mixture in Swiss chard leaves. I think the reason they came out so good is that I baked them in the marinade from those jars of artichoke hearts preserved in oil. I baked them for an hour, which may have been a tad too long – hence the more wilted look.

Instead of the traditional yogurt dressing, this one has strands of saffron, dry currants, and leaves of fresh mint. In the end, the rolls become sour because of the marinade, the leaves taste a bit like spinach but without the gritty aftertaste, and they are much easier to cut than the more coarse, veiny grape leaves.

My next version of these will be with the stuffing pre-cooked, so I won’t  have to keep them in the oven for too long — that way the leaves will have a more vibrant green and red color.