SWISS CHARD STALK AND TAHINI DIP

Swiss Chard Stalk and Tahini Dip image

If you are making a Swiss chard dish and don't know what to do with the stems, save them for this luscious and ingenious Middle Eastern appetizer. Serve it with warm Arabic bread.

Provided by Martha Rose Shulman

Categories easy, quick, dips and spreads

Time 20m

Yield About two cups

Number Of Ingredients 6

Ingredients

1 pound Swiss chard stalks, coarsely chopped (about 4 cups)
Salt to taste
2 to 4 garlic cloves (to taste), peeled, green shoots removed
1/2 cup sesame tahini, stirred if the oil has separated
1/4 to 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Steps:

Steam the chard stalks about 15 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain well, and allow to cool. Place in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Puree, stopping the machine from time to time to scrape down the sides.
In a mortar, mash the garlic with 1/2 teaspoon salt until you have a smooth paste. Add to the chard stalks. Process until smooth. Add the tahini, and again process until smooth. With the machine running, add the lemon juice and salt to taste. Stop the machine, taste and adjust seasonings.
Transfer the dip to a wide bowl. It will be a little runny (unless the tahini you used was thick) but will stiffen up. Drizzle on the olive oil and serve.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 224, UnsaturatedFat 16 grams, Carbohydrate 10 grams, Fat 20 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 6 grams, SaturatedFat 3 grams, Sodium 220 milligrams, Sugar 1 gram