Recipe: Swiss Chard Bruschetta (using cottage cheese, blender or food processor)

SWISS CHARD BRUSCHETTA

1/2 pound red Swiss chard
4 cloves garlic, minced
Nonstick olive oil cooking spray
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon minced dill
Salt, pepper (to taste)
1/2 cup nonfat cottage cheese
24 slices French bread, toasted
2 teaspoons butter
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

Remove stalks from chard and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Cut leaves into 2-inch pieces.

Saute chopped chard stalks and 2 cloves garlic in skillet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray over medium heat 1 minute. Add water, reduce heat and simmer, covered, until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in chopped chard leaves and cook over high heat until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in dill. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Puree cottage cheese in blender or food processor until smooth. Stir in salt to taste.

Melt butter in small skillet over medium-low heat. Add remaining 2 cloves garlic and saute, stirring, until tender but not browned, about 1 minute. Stir in bread crumbs to coat with garlic and butter and cook, stirring, until browned, 1 to 2 minutes.

Spread about 1 teaspoon pureed cottage cheese on each slice of toasted bread. Top with about 1 tablespoon chard, then sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs.

Makes 24 bruschetta
Source: Los Angeles Times, 1999