Inspiration from the Farmer's Market

Visit your local farmers' market for inspiring vegetable based dinners this summer. This delicious Swiss Chard and Olive Tart makes wonderful use of chard, an ingredient that is healthful, beautiful and inexpensive. Accompany with a tossed green salad and vegetable based soup. (Check back next week for a delicious soup that uses up the abundance of garden zucchini.)

Black Olive and Swiss Chard Tart
(From Pedaling Through Provence Cookbook by Sarah Leah Chase)

Pastry
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon minced rosemary
pinch of kosher salt
8 Tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 heaping teaspoons imported Dijon mustard
2 to 3 Tablespoons ice water

Filling
1 large bunch of Swiss chard, washed, stems and center ribs removed, leaves patted dry and cut into strips
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped finely
3 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1 teaspoon dried thyme
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup freshly grated Gruyere cheese
2 large eggs
1/2 cup cream
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups pitted Kalamata olives
2 to 3 Tablespoons pine nuts

For the pastry:
Place the flour, rosemary, salt and butter in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the mustard and enough ice water so that the dough begins to form a ball as the machine is pursed on and off. Gather the dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

For the filling:
1. Heat the olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute until soft and translucent, 7-10 minutes. Add the chard, garlic, thme, and nutmeg. Cook until the chard leaves have wilted and any water given off has evaporated, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and gently mix in the cheese.
2. Beat the eggs and cream together in a mixing bowl and then fold in the card mixture, blending well. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled pastry dough to form a 12 to 13 inch circle. Transfer to an 11-inch tart pan with removable bottom and press dough into bottom and sides of pan, trimming edge as necessary.. Spread the chard filling evenly in the tart shell. Arrange the olives in concentric circles over the top, pressing lightly into the filling. Sprinkle pine nuts generously in between the olives.
5. Bake the tart until the crust is golden and the filling is set, 30 to 40 minutes. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.