Instructions: 1. Parboil the chard leaves until flexible. Refresh in cold water to stop the cooking. Using a sharp paring knife, remove the stems and reserve for another use.

2. For the stuffing: Heat the oil in a skillet. Saute the onion, carrot, and celery over low heat until the vegetables are soft and the flavors have melded. Transfer to a bowl. Strain the saffron over a glass (reserving the liquid) and add the threads to the bowl along with the rice, pine nuts, parsley and eggs. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.

3. For the mushroom sauce: Heat the butter in a skillet and, when melted, saute the mushrooms over low heat until they are soft and paste-like. Add

the wine, reserved saffron liquid and vegetable stock and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.

4. Place 4 tablespoons stuffing in the center of each chard leaf. Fold into square packets and place, seam side down, in an ovenproof casserole large enough to hold all of them in one layer. Pack them closely so they cannot unroll. Pour in the mushroom wine sauce until it barely covers the packets.

Cover and cook in a PREHEATED 350-degree oven for 1 hour. Serve the packets from the casserole using the braising liquid as a sauce.

SERVES 4; TIME: 2 hours; Moderate DIFFICULTY

VARIATIONs: Cabbage leaves can be used in place of chard. Packets can also be cooked over a medium-hot grill or beneath a broiler for 2-3 minutes on each side until browned but not charred.

MAKE AHEAD: The stuffing blend can be prepared up to 4 hours in advance and refrigerated. The chard leaves can be parboiled up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated.

Cremini Mushrooms," From SOLO VERDURA, by Anne Bianchi (Ecco, 1997).

Notes: Every culture has its tradition of wrapped leaves simmered in a savory sauce. In Tuscany, the leaf of choice is often chard which is large

(about 9-inch in diameter) and sturdy enough to contain any combination of stuffing ingredients. The following recipe is a variation on one made for me by a friend in Lucca. In Place of Mirellas meat filling, I have substituted saffron and pine nuts which blend beautifully with the wine and mushroom soffrito in which it cooks.

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