Wash the Swiss chard leaves thoroughly, dry them, and cut them into thin strips. This helps them cook faster and keeps their bright green color.

Boil the Swiss chard in lightly salted water for 5-6 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon (save the cooking water) and immediately place the chard in ice water to stop the cooking and keep the color vibrant.

Drain well, then blend the chard with the milk using an immersion blender until you have a smooth, fluid cream. Set aside.

In a large pot, sauté the finely sliced onion in the olive oil. When it starts to turn golden, add the pearl barley, stirring often to toast the grains evenly.

After a few minutes, gradually add ladles of the reserved chard cooking water, cooking the barley as you would for risotto.

Meanwhile, make the golden crumbles: toast the chopped almonds in a small pan, then mix them while still warm in a bowl with the turmeric until well coated.

When the orzotto is cooked, turn off the heat and stir in the Swiss chard cream. Add salt to taste if needed.

Divide among plates, sprinkle with the golden almond crumbles, and serve hot.

NOTE: As you can see, this is a zero-waste recipe since we also use the chard cooking water, which is rich in minerals and vitamins. And what about the chard stems? Of course, make a delicious chard stem parmigiana with just three ingredients—check out my other recipes!