Spicy Rainbow Chard with Bacon and Polenta

I thought tonight’s dinner would be better.  It was ok, and easy. 

Ingredients: 

1 C Polenta

½ t kosher salt

4 slices of thick bacon (6 oz.)

2 t EVOO

2 large shallots, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 large bunches (1 ½ #) rainbow chard, ribs cut into ¼” pieces and leaves roughly chopped

¼-1/2 t red chile flakes

1 T unsalted butter

1/3 C grated parmesan cheese

2 t balsamic vinegar

Directions:

1.       Cook polenta with salt as package directs.  (This took the most time as the directions were in Italian and the measurements were metric.  Jim figured it out.)

2.       Stir butter and cheese into polenta and spoon into a bowl or 4 bowls if serving individually. 

3.       Cook the bacon in a large frying pan until crisp.  Transfer to paper towels or paper plate and chop.

4.       Discard the fat from the pan.  Heat EVOO over medium heat. 

5.       Cook shallots, garlic and the chard ribs until softened, 4 minutes. 

6.       Stir in chard leaves, chile flakes and 1/3 C water.  Cover; reduce heat to low, and cook until wilted.

7.       Toss chard with vinegar and spoon over polenta.  Top with the crumbled bacon.

Jim and I added salt.  I think it would have been better if the salt was added in the cooking phase.  This recipe comes from the latest Sunset magazine.