Madeira-Braised Swiss Chard with Garam Masala, Sultanas, and Toasted Almonds

Braising is the process of cooking food quickly to brown it and develop flavor, and then further cooking it slowly in liquid in a sealed pot. This two-pronged technique is most often used for transforming tougher cuts of meat into tender, rich dishes, but it can also be applied to vegetables, particularly those with fibrous stalks and leaves. While braising can be done with all kinds of liquids, from milk to stock, wine is optimal both for its flavor and its acidity. Fruity flavors bring complexity, and wine's acidity enlivens the more mellow flavors that build up in a braise. Fortified wines like sherry and port, which are wines that have been augmented with a distilled spirit, often brandy, work particularly well in braises; their rich, fruity, and nutty flavor profiles add another kind of depth.

In this Madeira-Braised Swiss Chard with Garam Masala, Sultanas and Toasted Almonds, a savory-sweet Madeira-based sauce builds a complex flavor. The sauce is seasoned with spices that complement the earthy Swiss chard, leading to an agrodolce-like effect. White raisins reiterate the flavor of the Madeira, and toasted almonds bring out its inherent nuttiness. The Swiss chard will cook down into tender, silky ribbons.