Sautéed Italian Swiss Chard

Begin by thoroughly cleaning the Swiss chard and cutting it into 1-inch long pieces. Next, carefully distinguish between the thicker, more fibrous stalks and the tender leafy parts of the chard.

In a large saucepan, combine 1 tablespoon of salt with 1 cup of water and place it over high heat until the mixture reaches a rolling boil. Once boiling, add the stalks and let them cook for 2 minutes. After that, gently stir in the leafy strips of Swiss chard and continue to cook until the stalks become tender enough to be pierced with a fork, and the leafy strips have completely wilted, approximately taking around 6 minutes. Finally, drain the cooked Swiss chard.

In a large skillet, heat some oil over medium heat until it starts to shimmer. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes, allowing them to blend their flavors together for about 3 minutes. Next, add the drained Swiss chard and cook it with occasional stirring until it reaches your desired level of tenderness, approximately taking around 2 minutes. Finally, season the Swiss chard with a pinch of salt to taste.