Chard Gratin

Comments

30 Days to Green Your Diet - Alice Waters The Art of Simple Food makes greening your diet delicious.

Alice Waters suggests this local and organic side dish for your Thanksgiving table.

Recipe courtesy of Consumers Union and Eat Well Guide's Thanksgiving Local and Organic Food Challenge, and Alice Waters's The Art of Simple Food.

SERVINGS
4

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 bunches chard, washed and stemmed, saving half of the stems
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
Butter
1 onion, diced
Salt
2 teaspoons flour
1/2 cup milk
Freshly grated nutmeg

PREPARATION
1. After washing and stemming the chard, save half the chard stems and slice them thinly. Cook the stems for about 2 minutes in 2 quarts boiling salted water. Add the chard leaves and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and cool. Gently squeeze out the excess liquid from the stems and leaves and coarsely chop them.

2. Toss the breadcrumbs with 2 teaspoons melted butter. Toast them on a baking sheet in a 350 degrees F oven, stirring now and then, until lightly brown, about 10 minutes.

3. Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the diced onion and cook over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chard and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook for 3 minutes. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons flour over the onion-chard mix. Stir well and add 1/2 cup milk and a little freshly grated nutmeg. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more milk if the mixture gets too thick. The chard should be moist but not floating in liquid. Taste and add salt if needed.

4. Butter a small baking dish. Spread the chard mixture evenly in the dish and dot with 2 teaspoons butter. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the top. Bake in a 350 degrees F oven until the gratin is golden and bubbling, 20 to 30 minutes.

SERVING SUGGESTION

Serve as a delicious side to Barramundi and Lemon Butter or Baked Honey-Mustard Chicken and Vegetables.

COMMENTS ()