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Japanese-Style Swiss Chard and Spinach

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  • ACTIVE:
  • TOTAL TIME: 25 MIN
  • SERVINGS: 4
  • •FAST
  • •HEALTHY
  • •MAKE-AHEAD

“I love to serve dishes that you wouldn’t expect to find on this little island in Maine,” says Amanda Hallowell. So when she has a surplus of Swiss chard and spinach, instead of sautéing them, she makes this variation on the classic Japanese dish called oshitashi.

Slideshow: Tasty Japanese Recipes to Try

  1. 1/2 pound Swiss chard, stems removed and reserved for another use
  2. 1/2 pound baby spinach
  3. 1/4 cup soy sauce
  4. 1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
  5. 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  6. 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  7. Toasted sesame seeds (see Note), for garnish
  8. Dried bonito flakes (see Note), for garnish
  1. In a large saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the Swiss chard until bright green and tender, 1 minute. With a slotted spoon, transfer the chard to a colander to drain. Repeat with the spinach. When the greens are cool enough to handle, gently squeeze out the excess water, then coarsely chop them.
  2. In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, fish sauce and sesame oil. In a large skillet, melt the butter and remove from the heat. Add 3 tablespoons of the soy mixture and the greens to the skillet and toss to coat. Transfer the greens to a large plate to cool slightly.
  3. Form the greens into 8 mounds on a platter. Spoon the remaining soy mixture over the mounds, garnish with the toasted sesame seeds and bonito flakes and serve.
Notes Bonito flakes are available at Asian or specialty food markets.