Put the pine nuts and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a frying pan and fry over medium heat until golden. Take care because they burn easily. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper and let cool.

Cut the chard and stalks into 2 cm pieces.

Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan, add the garlic and fry until just turning golden.

Add the chard and ham and stir-fry until the chard wilts. Add the raisins and pine nuts and season lightly with pepper and salt (because the jamon serrano will already have added a salty flavour), then serve.

Note In Spain, vegetables are often served by themselves as a first course (often enormous) or as tapas, though the recipes in this chapter may be served as accompaniments to main courses in a very un-Spanish way. I like this Swiss chard recipe with trout, for instance. The market stalls groan with quantities of top-quality produce - and of course Spain is one of the most important producers of fruit and vegetables for the whole of Europe.