Cooking Lesson 9/ Swiss chard Pilaf, Potato Salad and Pasta Salad

Swiss Chard Pilafserves 42       pounds fresh Swiss chard1/4   cup olive oil1       medium onion, chopped1       cup cooked black-eye peas1/2  cup fine bulgur or #1, soak in water until soft.salt and pepper to taste-Wash the Swiss chard and cut  into 1-inch thick slices.  In heavy pot, bring lightly salted water to boil.  Drop the Swiss chard, bring back to boil.  Stir, turn off the heat and leave the Swiss chard in the hot water for 10 minutes.  Drain the water and gently squeeze extra water.  Set aside.-Heat the olive oil in heavy pot and saute the onion until golden.  Add the Swiss chard and the black-eye pea.  Saute for five minutes.  Add 1/4 cup of water, salt and pepper.  Add the bulgur, stir, cover and turn off the heat.  Leave the pot closed on the stove and allow to it to rest for ten minutes before serving.Potato Saladserves 43       russet potato, boiled until cooked but not mushy or over cooked1       medium red onion, chopped1       cup chopped parsley1       medium tomato, diced1/2  cup chopped red bell pepper2      tablespoons caperszest of one lemon1/4  cup lemon juice4      tablespoons olive oil1      teaspoon chopped mint6      tablespoons olive oilsalt to taste-Cut the potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes and place in a bowl.  Add the rest of the vegetables and toss well.-Whisk the olive oil with the lemon juice, the lemon zest, the mint and the salt.  Drizzle this dressing over the vegetables and toss gently until well coated.  Serve cold or room temperature. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PfVsu3IU08&feature=plcpVegetable Pasta Saladserves 4-61       cup finely chopped red cabbage1       cup finely chopped green cabbage1       red bell pepper, chopped4      scallion, chopped1      cup sun-dried tomatoes, soak in hot water for 10 minutes.1      cup diced heart of palm1/2  cup chopped kalamata olives1     teaspoon oreganozest of one lemon1/4  cup lemon juice1/4   cup olive oil1     pound elbow or any short pasta-Squeeze excess water from the sun-dried tomatoes and place in large salad bowl.-Add the rest of the vegetables and the capers to sun-dried tomatoes.-Add the olives, the lemon zest, the lemon juice, the olive oil and the salt to the vegetables and toss well.-Bring salted water to a boil.  Drop the pasta, stir and bring back to boil.  Boil for 6 minutes or until the pasta is al-dente--cooked but not mushy-.  Drain the pasta and add right away to the vegetables and toss well.  Serve the pasta cold.