Chard gratin
Based on an Alice Waters recipe from The Art of Simple Food, this uses the stems and leaves of chard. If you donít want to make a gratin, try simply cooking the finely sliced stems with chilli, ginger and garlic, add chopped leaves a little later and cook all together. Toss through pasta or noodles for a quick supper.
Ingredients
- 100g fresh breadcrumbs
- 2 tsp butter, melted
- 1 large head of chard, washed; stems separated from leaves, stems finely shredded, leaves left whole
- 2 tbsp butter, plus a little extra for greasing
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 tsp plain flour
- 120ml milk
- a little nutmeg, grated
- salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1
Preheat oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Mix the breadcrumbs and melted butter together in a bowl. Spread onto a non-stick baking sheet and bake, stirring every couple of minutes, until lightly brown (about 10 minutes).
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Step 2
Add the chard stems to a large pan of salted boiling water and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chard leaves and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain, refresh in a large bowl of cold water, then drain again. Gently squeeze out the excess liquid from the stems and leaves and coarsely chop them.
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Step 3
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a heavy-based pan. Add the onion and fry on a medium heat until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chard to the pan. Season. Cook for a couple more minutes. Sprinkle with the flour and stir well. Add the milk and nutmeg and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Step 4
Add a little more milk if the mixture gets too thick. The chard should be well coated in the liquid but not too sloppy. Check the seasoning. Butter a small baking dish.
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Step 5
Spread the chard mixture evenly in the dish. Dot with the rest of the butter and sprinkle the toasted breadcrumbs over the top. Bake at until golden and bubbling, about 25 minutes.
