On the Table: Swiss Chard and Mushroom Pasta

Yesterday was a clean-out-the-fridge day - I decided to use up some vegetables, and what better way to do that than to make a pasta dish?!  I had swiss chard and mushrooms, and they were just delicious sauteed and tossed with pasta and balsamic vinegar.  To prepare:

Put a large of pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta.  You will want to make about half a pound of pasta (I used farfalle).  In the meantime, prepare the sauce.

Clean and thinly slice half a pound of baby portobello mushrooms.  Put a large skillet over medium heat.  Thinly coat the bottom of the pan with canola oil, and when the oil gets hot, add in the mushrooms.  Allow to cook for a few minutes.

While the mushrooms are cooking, wash and thinly slice the swiss chard.

I cut off the very ends of the stems and use the rest of the stems, since they add some great crunch, but you can also strip the leaves off the stems and just use the leaves, if you prefer.  If you are using the stems, you will want to add them to the skillet before you add the leaves, to give the stems a little extra time to cook.

When the mushrooms and stems are tender, add in the sliced swiss chard leaves.

Cook for about three minutes, or until the leaves are wilted.  Add in a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and a dash of salt.  Stir well to combine.  When the pasta is finished cooking, add it into the pan, along with a bit of the pasta water.  Taste and adjust seasoning.

Enjoy (the dish is great topped with parmesan)!