Tasty Tuesday

You may think that winter is the time to make soups, but surprise, the spring is a great time for soups too. There are so many fresh vegetables coming into farmers' markets right now. Soups make a great destination for produce of all kinds, and they can be ideal repositories for any leftovers just beginning to wilt. There's plenty of nutritional value left in those vegetables, and gentle simmering will coax out the flavors.

You can also work more grains and beans into your diet by adding them to soups. Rice adds bulk, and for i it's just as effective a thickener as russet potatoes but has a lower glycemic index. Soups thickened with rice are creamy, too, although there's no cream in them.

If you don't have a lot of time, and  wanted to make dishes that you could serve as the main dish for dinners throughout the week, you can do what the French do: make a soup.

If you are looking for an easy way to reduce your calorie intake, this soup will help. It's filling and light, and it makes a great low-calorie meal.

This is a simple and comforting soup, that is especially delicious in the spring, when Swiss chard is at its sweetest and most tender,

Swiss Chard and Rice Soup

2 pounds Swiss chard ( 2 generous bunches )

1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, finely diced

salt to taste

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 quarts chicken stock, vegetable stock or water

A bouquet garni made with a bay leaf and a couple of sprigs each parsley and thyme

1/2 cup basmati rice

Freshly ground pepper

Freshly squeezed lemon juice ( optional)

Fresh grated Parmesan for serving (optional)

1.Trim the bottoms of the chard stems. If the stems are thin and fibrous, separate the leaves and discard the stems. If they are wide, separate the leaves and cut the stems into 1/4-inch dice. Set aside with the onion and the celery. Wash he leaves in 2 changes of water and chop medium-fine.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot and add the onion, celery and chard stalks. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes, and add a generous pinch of salt. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender, another 3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the stock or water, bouquet garni and rice. Bring to a boil, add salt to taste, reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes.

3. Stir the chard into the soup, cover and simmer another 10 minutes. Add freshly ground pepper, taste and adjust the salt. Serve with fresh lemon wedges for people to squeeze into their servings if desired and Parmesan for sprinkling.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.