Grilled Swiss Chard! (Q: Are We Not Cooks? A: We Are Devo!)

Hey, remember that song by early-‘80s electro-pop pioneers Devo? It went like this:

Crack that whip!
Give the stove the slip.
Step on a crack.
Don’t even look back.

When a veggie comes along
You must grill it!
Before it sits too long
You must grill it!
When something’s going wrong
You must grill it!

Oh, how I loved that song. And it was right, too. You can grill anything. Fish, potatoes, spaghetti – heck, stick a tricycle on there, and I’m pretty sure it’d come out tasting like a tri-tip steak.

On Wednesday, the Husband-Elect and I had a big bunch of Swiss chard lying around, and no great desire to further warm our already-400°F Brooklyn kitchen. So, we did some quick research, found a recipe for grilled greens at Daily Unadventures in Cooking, and took to our Thermos BBQ. Ten-to-twelve minutes later, we had perfectly steamed and seasoned chard, without breaking a sweat. I didn’t even know you COULD grill chard. Now I do. And I’m happy.

Related story: we recently started buying farmers market seafood. I’ve only super-rarely bought fish the last few years, because from the supermarket, the expense-to-flavor ratio is pitiful. And dude, I’m not forking over $8 for something that tastes like salty felt.

But, in accordance with our recent meat/cheese/eggs/bread mandate (after having the crud scared out of us by Food, Inc.), we thought we’d give sustainable, freshly-caught, really pricey fish a shot. First, it was squid, which a Mark Bittman recipe turned into wine-braised manna. Then, Wednesday, it was swordfish. And OH MY GORP YOU GUYS, it was FANTASTIC.

I mean, WOW. We used a simple wine-n-lemon marinade from AllRecipes, grilled it, and then promptly fell into a fish coma. (In which you fall asleep and only the smell of mackerel can wake you.) I liked swordfish before, but now I luuuuurve it. (And it’s sustainable – bonus!)

So, that’s my story. Eat things. And if you can, grill them. Grill them good.

Happy weekend!

Grilled Swiss Chard
Serves 2-3
Adapted from Daily Unadventures in Cooking.

1 large bunch Swiss chard, washed and stems removed
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Lemon if it’s around

1) Heat grill.

2) Combine all ingredients in bowl, and mix thoroughly.

3) Lay out one huge sheet of tin foil. Lay another across it and on top of it, so it looks like a plus sign. Pile chard mixture in middle, and close to form a packet.

4) Grill over medium heat for 10-12 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Unwrap and serve. Squeeze a little lemon juice over it if you feel like it.

Calculations
2 servings: 149 calories, 7.7 g fat, $0.56
3 servings: 99 calories, 5.1 g fat, $0.34

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
1 large bunch Swiss chard, washed and stems removed: 180 calories, 1.9 g fat, $0.99
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil: 118 calories, 13.4 g fat, $0.11
Salt and pepper to taste: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
TOTAL: 298 calories, 15.3 g fat, $1.11
PER SERVING (TOTAL/3): 99 calories, 5.1 g fat, $0.34
PER SERVING (TOTAL/2): 149 calories, 7.7 g fat, $0.56

Posted in: 15 Minutes or Less,Sides,Vegan,Vegetarian