Recipe - Italian Rice And Chard Soup

2 bn Fresh green or red chard
One fourth cup Olive oil
One fourth cup Minced onion
3 cup (approximately) chicken
Stock
One half cup Arborio rice
1/3 cup Fresh basil leaves for
Garnish
Grated Parmesan cheese
For garnish

1. Wash chard well. Remove stems and cut them into 1/4inch pieces. Bring a
large pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the chard leaves for 10 to
15 seconds. Transfer them with a large slotted spoon to ice water, then
drain, squeeze dry, and chop coarsely. Blanch the stems in the same boiling
water, refresh them in ice water, then drain and dry.

2. Heat oil in a large pot over moderate heat. Add onion and saute until
translucent and soft (3 to 5 minutes). Add chard stems and stir to coat
with oil. Add chicken stock and rice and bring to a simmer. Cover and
simmer gently 15 minutes or until rice is just cooked. Add chopped chard
and heat through gently. If rice has absorbed most of stock, add a little
more, but soup should be thick.

3. To serve, cut the basil into fine julienne. Divide soup among warm bowls
and garnish with julienned basil and Parmesan.

Recipe By : The California Culinary Academy

File ftp://ftp.idiscover.co.uk/pub/food/mealmaster/recipes/mmdja006.zip