Whole head of chard gratin
Vegetarian mains
Whole head of chard gratin
This dish is a French classic usually made with spinach rather than chard. It could be a side to a weekend roast or to weekday baked potatoes; a bed for poached eggs; or just a standalone meal with a little bread or brown rice to soak up the cream. Use an alternative to Parmesan to make it vegetarian.
Ingredients
- 1 whole head of chard
- 40g butter, plus a little extra
- 1 onion, finely sliced
- 25g plain flour
- 150ml milk
- a little nutmeg, grated
- a small handful grated hard cheese eg.
- 25g Parmesan or Gruyère, grated (optional)
- 25g dried breadcrumbs
- salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1
Preheat oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Cut a small slice off the chard base to release the leaves.
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Step 2
Cut out each white stem in a v-shape, then chop them into 1-2cm pieces. Keep the leaves as they are.
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Step 3
Cook the chard stems in a large pan of salted boiling water for 3 minutes. Add the chard leaves and cook for a further 3 minutes.
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Step 4
Drain, refresh in a large bowl of ice cold water, then drain again. Gently squeeze out the excess liquid and keep to one side.
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Step 5
Melt the butter in a heavy-based pan. Add the onion and fry on a very low heat until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.
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Step 6
Add the flour and stir for 2 minutes. Add the milk and nutmeg and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes, to thicken slightly.
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Step 7
Add the chard and toss to coat. Add a little more milk if the mixture gets too thick.
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Step 8
Check the seasoning, and spread the chard mixture evenly in a greased baking dish, sprinkle with cheese and breadcrumbs and bake until golden, about 25 minutes.
