Most of the Moroccan Jews I know, including my mother and siblings, would never ever make any Shabbat or holiday dishes on a weekday, and vice versa. My mother, for example, would never make matbucha, a spicy tomato jam, or baba ganoush on a weekday, or roasted chicken for Shabbat’s meal. Never.
Not only that, she wouldn’t dare break this tradition, she would raise her brows and call me ma’abula, crazy, if I do it. She is always appalled by my chutzpah to make her Shabbat’s spicy fish dish on a Tuesday evening.
This spicy chard is one of the appetizers my mother makes every Friday night for Shabbat’s dinner. I, on the other hand, make it whenever I have a vibrant bunch of leafy green, usually for a late breakfast over toast. Think beans on toast, but ten times better.
Keep in mind that the leaves SHRINK a lot! To make about 1 serving, use at least 5 large leaves. It works well with almost any leafy greens – kale, collard greens, beet leaves.
You can buy or make your own harissa — it’s easy to make and you can control the spiciness.
Swiss Chard With Harissa
Ingredients
- 1 bunch Swiss chard or kale or both (if using kale, remove the spines)
- 1 – 2 tablespoon mild harissa - Taste the harissa before you add it
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Salt
In case you don’t have harissa
- Combine all the ingredients below in a small bowl or jar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon hot paprika or ground cayenne pepper (optional)
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- Salt
Instructions
- Soak the Swiss chard in cold water for a few minutes to remove sand and drain. Stack the leaves in a pile and cut them into 1″ inch wide. Put them in a large skillet or wok with 2-3 tablespoons water and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until all the liquid is evaporated.
- Add the harissa or dressing to the skillet and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring continuously until the leaves are coated in harissa or dressing. Add lemon juice, remove from heat, and serve as is or over toast.
נראה מעולה שלי. גם אני ממש בעניין של קייל לאחרונה – היום אנסה להכין את האריסה שלך ואז מחר לצהריים את המנה. הבלוג שלך מהממם אז מטיילת בו קצת עכשיו.. (:
Sigal, I still didn’t put the hebrew stickers on my keyboard, so forgive me that I respond in english. First of all I didn’t know there is kale in Israel, I guess now there is literally everything in our small country. Second, THANK YOU for your support and your firgun (there is no word for that in english – baduk). And thank you for the compliments. I have a feeling I can learn a lot from you xx