Cream Of Swiss Chard Gruyere Soup

1. 1

   Separate chard stems and leaves. Fold each leaf in half and cut out the stem. Thoroughly wash stems, then dice. Roll leaves into a big bundle, then finely slice. Transfer leaves to a salad spinner and submerge leaves in water, then lift out the strainer basket to rinse. Repeat several times. Spin leaves dry and set aside.

2. 2

   Melt butter over medium heat in a stockpot. Add onions and chard stems, saute until soft about 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour in and stir until a smooth paste is formed. Add stock 1 cup at a time, whisking until smooth. Stir in milk and bring to a simmer. Add chard leaves in batches (about 4 - 6 cups leaves total, depending on desired consistency) and simmer soup about 5 - 8 minutes more until chard is softened, but still green.

3. 3

   Puree soup, using an immersion blender or blender. Use caution when blending hot liquids! Stir cheese into pureed soup and serve warm, garnished with more cheese.

4. 4

   This soup is great on it's own, but I enjoyed the added crunch of fresh croutons.

* Per serving · 4 servings · Values may vary.