Chard Soup with Gnocchi

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Here’s a tasty way to use my new favorite vegetable: chard. Tear off a chunk of rustic bread to help soak up the broth.

Chard Soup with Gnocchi

serves 4-6

1 T. olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

pinch red pepper flakes

8-10 good-sized chard leaves, stems finely chopped, leaves coarsely chopped

1 1/2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup chopped cooked chicken, optional–for a vegetarian version you can substitute white beans

1 batch gnocchi, I used this recipe or 1 package fresh or frozen premade

1 diced tomato

salt and pepper to taste

grated parmesan cheese and chopped basil

If you are making your own gnocchi, prepare gnocchi up to the point before it is cooked.  Set aside. Bring 6 quarts salted water to a boil for the gnocchi while you prepare the soup as follows.

In a large pan or dutch oven, saute onion, garlic, mushrooms, red pepper flakes and chard stems in oil until soft.  Add chard leaves and cook briefly until the leaves are wilted.

Add stock and chicken and bring to a simmer.

At this point, add the gnocchi in batches to the boiling salted water, lifting them out with a slotted spoon as they rise to the top of the water and add them to the simmering soup. If using prepared gnocchi, cook according to package instructions.

(I usually don’t add all the gnocchi to the soup, reserving some for a snack later with a little marinara. Just add as many gnocchi to the soup as you feel fit in there without overwhelming it.)

Add the chopped tomato and simmer a couple more minutes.

Adjust salt and pepper.

Garnish with parmesan cheese and chopped fresh basil.

T.L.