Tacos of Creamy Braised Chard, Potatoes, and Poblanos

Chard, kale, greens....used interchangeably in this house! The bag of kale was huge from the CSA box; however, I know that this reduces easily. The greens keep for awhile after picking, but I like to reduce them due to refrigerator space, so I made this recipe linked from the title. I did have plenty of chard to steam and freeze as well.

I have raved about Rick Bayless recipes in the past; this recipe coming from his cookbook, Capturing the Vibrant Flavors of World Class Cuisine. His counter service restaurant in Chicago, XOCO, is one of my favorite places to eat. When we were at XOCO a few weeks ago we even saw his daughter Lainie working at the restaurant, and I felt like we were seeing a star and had to quickly text my friend Nora, since she is an avid watcher of his PBS show as are we. My parents were there earlier this week and saw Rick in the kitchen!! I'll have to post a picture after I get it from them.

I like his cookbooks even though some of the recipes are better suited to a day of cooking rather than a working swim/violin mom. However, when looking at the recipes closer and reading the hints on the bottom, many of the recipes adapt easily to every day life. I do recognize that many of the flavors in his cooking are good due to flavor blending time, but some shortcuts work well without sacrificing too much flavor.

I did roast the poblano peppers (see picture on left). I did this on the same day sliced the onions and put both in a bowl for a bit quicker cooking and assembly. I measured the chard and chopped it and put it in a ziploc bag. I made the creme fraiche with 1 cup half and half and2 t non fat yogurt that's what the recipe in the book uses instead of the heavy cream. I mixed those ingredients together and let the mixture sit in a measuring cup on the counter for 4 hours or so before refrigerating it overnight.

This recipe comes together quickly, so it's perfect on evenings where we get home late. All three of us like it...we get some greens in our bodies and enjoy a quick tasty dinner.

Rick (Bayless) suggests serving this over grilled chicken or adding some chopped ham and tossing it with egg noodles after sprinkling with lots of cilantro.

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