Best Swiss Chard Gratin Recipes

SWISS CHARD AU GRATIN

Steps:

• Arrange the rack in the middle of oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to boil.
• Stem the chard, keeping the leaves whole. Salt the boiling water and add the chard and let wilt. The pot will be packed at first. Boil the chard 10 minutes, drain in a colander and run under cool water. Let it drain and squeeze out any excess liquid in a clean kitchen towel. Chop.
• Meanwhile, heat the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute, and then whisk in the milk. Season with salt, pepper and a little freshly grated nutmeg. Stir in the roasted garlic paste. Thicken the sauce to coat the back of a spoon and adjust seasonings to taste.
• Layer half the greens in a medium casserole (8 to 10 inches long). Top with half the bechamel sauce and half the cheese. Repeat layers, ending with the cheese. Bake until bubbly and brown, 20 to 30.

POTATO AND SWISS CHARD GRATIN

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees, and place rack in the center. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; set a bowl of ice water on the side. Boil the chard leaves until tender, 3 to 5 minutes, then transfer with a slotted spoon to the ice water. Squeeze them dry and chop roughly. Boil the diced stems until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain well and add to chopped chard leaves.
• In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream, garlic, shallot, thyme and bay leaf to a simmer. Cook until reduced by half, about 25 minutes. Strain out the solids and add the nutmeg.
• Meanwhile, slice the potatoes into 1/8-inch-thick rounds with a mandoline or sharp knife. Butter a 12- to 14-inch gratin dish. Assemble the gratin by layering the ingredients in this order: a single, slightly overlapping layer of one-third of the potato slices, a sprinkling of salt and pepper, one-third of the Gruyère, half the Swiss chard and one-third of the reduced cream. Repeat once, and then top with one more layer of potato, salt and pepper, and the rest of the Gruyère and cream.
• Bake until the top is browned and the potatoes are fork-tender, about 45 minutes.

SWISS CHARD GRATIN

Steps:

• Melt 2 tablespoons butter and toss with bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, herbs, half of nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl.
• Boil broth in a small saucepan until reduced by half. Add cream and keep warm.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat and stir in flour. Cook roux, whisking, 1 minute, then whisk in broth mixture and boil, whisking, 1 minute. Season sauce with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Cook onion in remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a wide 8-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Add chard stems, remaining nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring, until vegetables are tender but not browned, about 8 minutes.
• Increase heat to moderately high and add chard leaves and spinach by large handfuls, stirring, until all greens are wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer vegetables to a colander to drain well and press out liquid with back of a large spoon. Toss vegetables with cream sauce and transfer to a buttered 12-inch oval gratin or 2-quart shallow baking dish, spreading evenly.
• Top vegetables with bread crumbs and bake in middle of oven until bubbling and topping is golden, about 20 minutes.

SWISS CHARD GRATIN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°.
• Coat the interior of a 1 1/2-quart gratin or baking dish with the softened butter and spoon in the 2 tablespoons of bread crumbs; tilt the dish around until they cover the buttered surface.
• Slice the chard stems and leaves into 1 1/2-inch pieces; wash in cold water; drain but don't dry them.
• Heat the olive oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat; add the shallot and garlic; cook, stirring constantly, until softened but not browned, about 1 minute; add the chard, sprinkle with salt; cover tightly and steam until the chard has wilted to half its original volume, about 2-3 minutes; uncover and cook the chard, turning occasionally with tongs, until all the water in the pan evaporates, about 5 more minutes; season with pepper and set aside.
• Sauce - melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; whisk in the flour; cook, whisking, until mixture bubbles up and turns lighter in color, about 1 minute; pour in the cold milk all at once; whisk vigorously; add salt and bay leaf; heat, whisking, until it comes to a boil and thickens, about 5 minutes; reduce the heat to low, simmer 2 minutes; stir in the nutmeg, oregano, thyme and 1/2 cup of the cheese; remove from heat and discard bay leaf.
• Mix the cooked chard and the sauce; spoon into prepared pan; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup bread crumbs and remaining 1/2 cup cheese; bake until golden and bubbly, 35 minutes.

SWISS CHARD AND RED PEPPER GRATIN

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil while you clean the chard. Fill a bowl with ice water. Strip the leaves from the stalks, but hold onto the stalks. Wash the leaves in several rinses of water. When the water comes to a boil add the chard leaves. Blanch for about 1 minute, just until tender. Using a skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer immediately to the ice water. Let sit for a few minutes, then drain, squeeze out water and chop medium-fine.
• Preheat the oven to 375º F. Brush a 2-quart baking or gratin dish with olive oil.
• Trim both ends off the chard stalks, then dice. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large, heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the diced chard stalks, diced red pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, for 5 to 8 minutes, until the vegetables are just tender. Add the garlic, stir together for a minute or so, until the garlic is fragrant, and stir in the chard. Stir together for 30 seconds to a minute, just to blend the mixture and coat the chard with oil. Season with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat.
• Beat the eggs and milk together in a bowl. Stir in the chard mixture, the cheese, rice and thyme. Stir together, taste and add more salt and pepper if desired. Transfer to the baking dish. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top and drizzle on the remaining oil.
• Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until firm and browned on the top. Remove from the heat and cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. You can serve this warm or at room temperature.

SWISS CHARD AU GRATIN FRENCH BREAD PIZZAS

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Remove the stems from the chard but keep the leaves whole. Add the chard to the boiling water (the pot will be packed at first) and cook for 10 minutes. Drain in a colander and run under cool water. Drain again, then wrap the chard in a kitchen towel and squeeze to remove the excess water. Chop the chard.
• Meanwhile, heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking, for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and season with salt, pepper and a little nutmeg. Simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Adjust the seasonings to taste. Stir in 1/3 cup Roasted Garlic Paste.
• Spread half the chard in the bottom of a medium casserole dish. Top with half the garlic sauce and half the cheese. Repeat the layers, ending with the cheese. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the casserole from the oven and turn on the broiler.
• Halve the bread lengthwise, then cut in half crosswise to make four 12-inch-long pieces. Broil the bread, cut-side up, until charred, about 1 minute. Slather with the remaining Roasted Garlic Paste and top each piece with one-quarter of the chard au gratin. Cut each pizza in half and serve.
• The unbaked chard au gratin can covered be and refrigerated for a make-ahead meal. Bring to room temperature, then bake as directed.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Arrange the garlic in a cluster on a large piece of foil and drizzle with 1/4 cup EVOO. Wrap up the garlic in the foil to make a tightly sealed pouch. Roast until very tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool, then squeeze the garlic from the skins into a food processor. Add the remaining 3/4 cup EVOO and the honey and season with salt and pepper. Puree until smooth, then transfer to a small container. (Alternatively, you can mash the garlic paste with a fork instead of using a food processor.)

GREEN TOMATO AND SWISS CHARD GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 2-quart baking dish or gratin with olive oil. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil, and fill a bowl with ice water. Stem the chard and wash the leaves in two changes of water. Rinse the stems if wide and dice. Set them aside. When the water comes to a boil, add the chard leaves and blanch for about one minute. Transfer to the ice water, cool for a minute and drain. Squeeze out excess water and chop. Set aside.
• Season the sliced tomatoes and the cornmeal lightly with salt and pepper. Dredge the tomatoes in the cornmeal. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, and fry the sliced tomatoes for two minutes on each side, just until lightly colored. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in the skillet in which you cooked the tomatoes, and add the onion and the chopped chard stems. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt and the garlic, and cook together for another minute, until the garlic is fragrant. Add the thyme and the chopped chard, and stir together for minute over medium heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Beat the eggs in a large bowl with 1/2 teaspoon salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Whisk in the milk. Stir in the cheese and the chard mixture. Transfer to the gratin dish. Layer the tomatoes over the top. Place in the oven, and bake 30 to 40 minutes, until set and beginning to brown.

SWEET POTATO, SWISS CHARD, AND QUINOA GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. and butter a 2-quart shallow baking dish.
• Prick each potato with a fork 3 times and bake on a sheet in middle of oven about 1 hour, or until very tender.
• While potatoes are baking, in a bowl wash quinoa in at least 5 changes cold water, rubbing grains and letting them settle before pouring off most of water, until water runs clear and drain in a fine sieve.
• In a saucepan combine quinoa with 2 cups salted water and bring to a boil. Simmer quinoa, covered, until all liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes, and remove lid.
• In a skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil over moderate heat and cook bread crumbs until golden brown. Season crumbs with salt and pepper.
• While quinoa is cooking, finely chop reserved Swiss chard stems and coarsely chop leaves, keeping both separate. In a deep heavy 12-inch kettle heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil over moderate heat and cook stems until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in leaves, a handful at a time, and stir in garlic, tossing. Cook leaves until just wilted, about 4 minutes. Remove kettle from heat and stir in quinoa until combined well. Season mixture with salt and pepper.
• Reduce temperature to 350°.F.
• When potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and mash with a fork. Season potatoes with salt and pepper.
• With a large spoon drop mounds of potatoes and Swiss chard mixture in baking dish, alternating them decoratively to cover bottom, and smooth top. Top gratin with bread crumbs.
• Bake gratin in middle of oven about 30 minutes, or until hot. Cool gratin 5 minutes before serving.

SWISS CHARD GRATIN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F. Spray shallow 1 1/2-quart casserole or gratin dish with cooking spray. Rinse Swiss chard; shake to remove excess moisture and pat dry. Cut leaves from stalks; finely chop stalks and leaves and keep separate.
• In small bowl, mix bread crumbs, cheese and melted butter; set aside. In 1-quart saucepan, heat cream and garlic to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• In 4-quart Dutch oven, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat. Cook onion in butter 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in chopped chard stalks; cook 12 to 14 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender and beginning to brown. Increase heat to medium-high. Add chopped chard leaves, salt and pepper; cook 4 minutes or until wilted. Drain well, pressing with back of spoon. Spread mixture in casserole.
• Strain cream, discarding garlic. Pour cream over chard. Sprinkle with bread crumb mixture. Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and top is golden brown.

CAULIFLOWER AND SWISS CHARD GRATIN

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, add milk and cardamom pods and bring to a simmer over high heat, 2-3 minutes. As soon as milk reaches a simmer, immediately turn off heat and let steep, 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare chard for sautéing: Separate the stems from the leaves by cutting around the stems. Gather the stems together, then trim and discard the bottoms. Finely chop stems and set aside. Use a paring knife to peel away the onion skin, then cut onion in half. Remove the root end, then thinly slice into half-moons. Set aside. Peel garlic, trim the ends, then thinly slice. Place the chard stems, onion, and garlic into a heavy-bottomed pot. Add olive oil and a pinch of salt, then turn heat to high. Stir and sauté vegetables over high heat until they begin to sizzle. Turn heat to low and sweat the vegetables until they are soft and the onions are translucent, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
• Blanch cauliflower: Cut away and discard cauliflower leaves, and trim the stems (set the stems aside for later). Slice cauliflower top into several large chunks, and cut half of the chunks into small florets. Heavily salt the boiling water ("just a little shy of ocean water"), then add the florets. When the water comes back to a simmer, continue to cook for 2 more minutes, then scoop out with a strainer or slotted spoon. The cauliflower should be slightly cooked but still al dente. Set aside. (Leave the heat on). Roughly chop the remaining cauliflower chunks and reserved stems so the pieces are about the same size; add them to the sautéed chard stems, onion, and garlic. Strain the cardamom pods from the milk, and add the milk to the sautéed vegetables. Turn heat to medium, cover, and simmer until cauliflower is very tender, 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. (If it ever seems too dry, add a bit of water.) Meanwhile, blanch chard leaves.
• Blanch chard leaves: Add another big pinch of salt to the cauliflower-blanching water (enough to make it "salty as the sea"). Add chard, bring back to a simmer, then simmer 30 seconds more. Scoop out the blanched leaves using a strainer or slotted spoon and place into a mixing bowl. Set aside.
• Butter the gratin dish and set aside. Finely grate the Gruyère and Parmigiano-Reggiano and set aside in separate bowls. Gently squeeze the water out of the chard leaves; then roughly chop and set aside.
• In a food processor, add the cauliflower-milk mixture. Pulse a few times so the mixture doesn't splatter, then purée on high. Transfer purée to a large mixing bowl. Add the chopped chard leaves, loosening up any clumps, and the blanched cauliflower florets; stir to combine. Let rest to cool, 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 F.
• Add half of the Gruyère to the cauliflower-chard mixture; stir to combine. Season to taste, then transfer to the prepared gratin dish. Level the surface with a spatula, then evenly top with remaining Gruyère and all of the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Cover with foil and bake, 30 minutes. (Note: Gratin can be assembled to this point up to 2 days in advance and stored, covered, in the refrigerator. Remove 2 hours before baking so it can come to room temperature.)
• After 30 minutes, remove foil and place under the broiler for 4-5 minutes, rotating the dish halfway through. (Keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn!) Remove from oven, let rest 5 minutes, then serve.

SWISS CHARD GRATIN

Steps:

• To pickle the chard, put 400ml water in a large saucepan or sauté pan with the star anise, sugar and vinegar. Put the remaining spices in a cloth bag tied with string, add to the pan, bring to the boil, then drop in the chard, stalk first. Press the chard down in the pan and simmer for 3-4 mins - don't worry if you can't cover the leaves completely in the liquid, as they will wilt and become submerged while cooking. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Once cooled, remove the chard from the pickle mix and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. Lay the chard in an A4-sized baking dish. In a bowl, whisk the cream and garlic together with some seasoning, then pour over the chard. Sprinkle over the cheese and cayenne pepper, and bake for 30 mins.

GRATIN OF ARTICHOKE AND SWISS CHARD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of salt.
• Snap off the stems of the artichokes and reserve. Trim the artichokes for all but their innermost leaves. Cut about 2 inches off the top of each artichoke and discard. Add the artichokes to the boiling water. Peel the tough outer skin off the stems and add the stems to the water. Place a small bread plate or other weight on top of the artichokes to keep them submerged. Lower the heat to a slow boil and cook until the artichokes' bottoms are just tender when pierced with the tip of a small knife through the bottom, about 15 minutes. Drain and let cool.
• Trim the rest of the leaves off the artichokes and scrape out the chokes (the fuzzy centers) with a spoon. Cut the bottoms into quarters and the stems into 1/4-inch rounds.
• Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and lower the heat to medium. Cook, stirring, until the onion is tender, about 7 minutes. Add the artichokes, season with salt and pepper, and continue to cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes.
• Strip the leaves away from the stems of the Swiss chard. Cut the stems into 1/2-inch pieces and the leaves into 1-inch pieces, and keep the stems and leaves separate. Heat the remaining butter in another saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the chard stems and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the leaves and continue to cook until the stems and leaves are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Drain the chard and add it to the artichokes and onion and toss to combine.
• Put the artichokes, onion and chard into a 1 1/2-quart gratin dish. Drizzle the cream and sprinkle the Parmesan over the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Bake until the cheese is melted and the cream is bubbling, about 15 minutes. Raise the heat to 425 degrees F, sprinkle on the bread crumbs and bake again until bread crumbs are browned and the inside of the gratin is hot, another 7 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

SWISS CHARD AND LEEK GRATIN

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling water, blanch the chard until wilted, about 1 minute. Drain the chard, squeeze it dry, and chop. Be sure to remove any excess moisture.
• Heat the oil in the pot. Add the leeks and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook over medium to medium low heat, stirring, until tender, 7 minutes. You know your stove -- if it cooks hot make it medium low, if it cooks low, make it medium. Uncover, add the garlic, and cook, stirring, until fragrant. (about 2 minutes). Add the chard, season with salt to taste and remove from the heat.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Butter or grease a 2 qt casserole dish.
• In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour over moderate heat to form a paste. Gradually whisk 1/3 of the milk and cook, whisking, until the mixture starts to thicken. Repeat two more times with the remaining milk.
• Bring the sauce to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to low and cook, whisking often, until thickened and no floury taste remains, about 10-15 minutes. Whisk in the cheeses and the nutmeg. season with salt and pepper.
• Combine the sauce and leeks/chard mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Transfer to the prepared casserole dish. Bake in the upper third of the oven for 25 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving to prevent burning your mouth.

POTATO GRATIN WITH SWISS CHARD AND SUMAC ONIONS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit/180 degrees Celsius.
• Prepare the onions: Add the oil to a large, ovenproof lidded skillet and heat over medium-high. Add the onions and 1 teaspoon salt to the hot oil and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the sumac and remove from the heat. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.
• Prepare the gratin: Add the potatoes, shredded chard, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper to a large bowl and mix well to combine. Fold through three-quarters of the sumac onions and half the cheese, then transfer everything to the skillet, smoothing out the top to even out the potato slices. In a measuring cup or bowl, combine the stock, cream and lemon juice, and pour this all over the potato mixture. Cover tightly with foil, then top with the lid. Bake for 1 hour.
• Remove the gratin from the oven, and remove the lid and foil. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining cheese and bake, uncovered, until golden and bubbling, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat and let gratin settle for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the pine nuts: Add the butter to a medium skillet and melt over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the pine nuts and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the nuts are golden and the butter has browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the buttered nuts to the bowl with the remaining sumac onions.
• When ready to serve, stir the extra parsley into the sumac onion mixture and spoon this all over the gratin.

SWISS CHARD AND SWEET POTATO GRATIN RECIPE - (4/5)

Steps:

• Prep greens: Cook onion in 2 tablespoons butter in a wide 8-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Add chard stems, pinch of nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring, until vegetables are tender but not browned, about 8 minutes. Increase heat to moderately high and add chard leaves by large handfuls, stirring, until all greens are wilted. Season with salt and pepper then transfer greens to a colander to drain well and press out liquid with back of a large spoon. Make sauce: Combine cream or milk and garlic in small saucepan; bring to simmer; keep warm. Melt two tablespoons butter in a medium heavy saucepan over moderate heat and stir in flour. Cook roux, whisking, one minute, then slowly whisk in warm cream/milk and boil, whisking, one minute. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Assemble gratin: Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter deep 9×13 baking dish. Spread half of sweet potatoes in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, a quarter of the herbs and a 1/4 cup of the cheese. Distribute half of the greens mixture over the cheese, then sprinkle salt, pepper, a quarter of the herbs and 1/4 cup of the cheese over it. Pour half of bechamel sauce over the first two layers then continue with the remaining sweet potatoes, more salt, pepper, herbs and cheese and then the remaining greens, salt, pepper and herbs. Pour the remaining sauce over the top of the gratin, pressing the vegetables slightly to ensure that they are as submerged as possible. Sprinkle with the last 1/4 cup of cheese. Bake gratin for about 1 hour until golden and bubbly, and most of the liquid is absorbed. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Do ahead: You can make the entire gratin but not bake it up to a day in advance and keep it in the fridge. You can also make and bake the gratin and reheat it. Gratins reheat well, but they take almost as much time to gently heat through as they do to bake in the first place, especially deep ones like this. As for reheating, already baked and frozen, I will find out very soon! But I am near-positive it will be fine.

SWISS CHARD AND TURKEY AU GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 400°F Prepare 2 qt shallow baking dish for use.
• In a large pot or a dutch oven, combine the chard, the garlic, onions and 1 cup of the water, cover and cook over medium-high heat, stirring once or twice until the chard is wilted and barely tender, about 10 minutes. Spread the chard mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish.
• Coat a large nonstick frying pan at med-high heat with non-stick cooking spray. Add the turkey cutlets in a single layer and sprinkle with pepper. Cook, turning once until the turkey is lightly browned on the outside but still pink in the center, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon remove the turkey and arrange on top of the chard.
• In the turkey pan, bring the wine and lemon zest to a boil. Boil, scraping any browned bits from the pan, for 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth, 3/4 cup of the remaining water, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the paprika and return to a boil.
• In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with the remaining 1/4 cup water until smooth. Add to the boiling broth, whisking constantly until thickened, about 1 minute. Pour the cornstarch mixture over the turkey and chard.
• Bake until the turkey is fully cooked and the sauce is bubbling, about 20 minutes. Dust with the remaining paprika. Serve from the baking dish.
• ENJOY!

ARTICHOKE AND SWISS CHARD GRATIN

Steps:

• 1. IF YOU ARE USING FRESH ARTICHOKES, FOLLOW THIS PROCESS THROUGH STEP 4. IF USING CANNED, START AT STEP 5 AND PROCEED.
• 2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of salt.
• 3. Snap off the stems of the artichokes and reserve. Trim the artichokes of all but their innermost leaves. Cut about 2 inches off the top of each artichoke and discard. Add the artichokes to the boiling water. Peel the tough outer skin off the stems and add the stems to the water. Place a small bread plate or other weight on top of the artichokes to keep them submerged. Lower the heat to a slow boil and cook until the artichokes' bottoms are just tender when pierced with the tip of a small knife through the bottom, about 15 minutes. Drain and let cool.
• 4. Trim the rest of the leaves off the artichokes and scrape out the chokes - the fuzzy centers - with a spoon. Cut the bottoms into quarters and the stems into 1/4-inch rounds.
• 5. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• 6. Wash the chard well and shake off any excess water, but do not dry. Strip the leaves away from the stems of the Swiss chard. Cut the stems into 1/2-inch pieces and the leaves into 1 to 2-inch pieces, keeping the stems and leaves separate.
• 7. Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the chard stems and the onions and lower the heat to medium. Cook, stirring, until the onions are tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the leaves and continue to cook until the stems and leaves are tender. Drain off or cook down any excess liquid from chard.
• 8. Add the artichokes, and 1 Tbsp butter if desired Season with salt and pepper. (Remember that the Parmesan cheese is salty, so go light and adjust seasonings after adding cream and cheese in next step)
• 9. Put the artichokes, onion and chard into a 1 1/2 to 2 quart gratin dish. Drizzle the cream and sprinkle the Parmesan over the vegetables. Adjust seasonings.
• 10. Bake until the cheese is melted and the cream is bubbling, about 15 minutes. While baking, melt remaining 1 Tbsp butter and mix well with the seasoned bread crumbs.
• 11. Raise the heat to 425 degrees F, sprinkle on the bread crumbs and bake until crumbs are browned and the inside of the gratin is hot, another 7 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

SWISS CHARD AND SWEET POTATO GRATIN

Steps:

• Prep greens: Cook onion in 2 Tbsp butter in a wide 8-qt heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Add chard stems, pinch of nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring, til vegetables are tender but not browned, about 8 minutes. Increase heat to moderately high & add chard leaves by large handfuls, stirring, until all greens are wilted. Season with salt and pepper then transfer greens to a colander to drain well and press out liquid with back of a large spoon. Make sauce: Combine cream or milk and garlic in small saucepan; bring to simmer; keep warm. Melt two Tbs butter in a medium heavy saucepan over moderate heat and stir in flour. Cook roux, whisking, 1 minute, then slowly whisk in warm cream/milk and boil, whisking, one minute. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Assemble gratin: Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter deep 9×13 baking dish. Spread half of sweet potatoes in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, 1/4 of the herbs and a 1/4 cup of the cheese. Put half of the greens mixture over the cheese, then sprinkle salt, pepper, 1/4 of the herbs and 1/4 cup of the cheese over it. Pour half of bechamel sauce over the first two layers then continue with the remaining sweet potatoes, more salt, pepper, herbs and cheese and then the remaining greens, salt, pepper and herbs. Pour the remaining sauce over the top of the gratin, pressing the vegetables slightly to ensure that they are as submerged as possible. Sprinkle with the last 1/4 cup of cheese. Bake gratin for about 1 hour until golden and bubbly, and most of the liquid is absorbed. Let stand 10 mns before serving.

SWISS CHARD AND RED PEPPER GRATIN

Steps:

• 1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil while you clean the chard. Fill a bowl with ice water. Strip the leaves from the stalks, but hold onto the stalks. Wash the leaves in several rinses of water. When the water comes to a boil add the chard leaves and blanch for about 1 minute, just until tender. Using a skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer them immediately to the ice water. Let sit for a few minutes, then drain, squeeze out the excess water and chop medium-fine. 2. Preheat the oven to 375º F. Brush a 2-quart baking or gratin dish with olive oil. 3. Trim both ends off the chard stalks, then dice. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large, heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the diced chard stalks, diced red pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, for 5 to 8 minutes, until the vegetables are just tender. Add the garlic, stir together for a minute or so, until the garlic is fragrant, and stir in the chard. Stir together for 30 seconds to a minute, just to blend the mixture and coat the chard with oil. Season with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat. 4. Beat the eggs and milk together in a bowl. Stir in the chard mixture, the cheese, rice and thyme. Stir together, taste and add more salt and pepper if desired. Transfer to the baking dish. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top and drizzle on the remaining oil. 5. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until firm and browned on the top. Remove from the heat and cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. You can serve this warm or at room temperature. Advance preparation: The blanched greens will keep for 3 or 4 days in the refrigerator in a covered bowl. The recipe can be prepared through Step 3 up to 2 days ahead. The finished recipe will keep for 3 or 4 days in the refrigerator.

ROASTED FREE-RANGE CHICKEN WITH SWISS CHARD AND MARROW GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Toss the bread cubes with the butter and place them on a baking sheet. Bake until lightly toasted, about 6 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
• Turn oven up to 450 degrees. Place the bacon in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until bacon is almost done, pouring off most of the fat as it is released. Add the chicken livers and cook, stirring constantly until browned, about 2 minutes. Drain and toss with the bread cubes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Carefully slip your hand between the chicken breasts and chicken skin to form a pocket. Place truffle slices between the breasts and skin. Fill the chicken cavity with the liver mixture. With a trussing needle and twine, sew the cavity closed. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Place in a roasting pan. Roast the chicken until juices run clear when pricked in the thickest part of the leg, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the gratin: Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the Swiss chard stems and cook for 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and simmer slowly until tender, about 25 minutes.
• If using marrow bones, while chard is cooking, fill a medium saucepan with salted water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the marrow bones. Simmer for 6 minutes. Drain. Extract the marrow from the bones and cut across into 1/4-inch slices.
• Season chard with salt and pepper. Place half of the chard in the bottom of a medium-size gratin dish. Place the marrow, if using, evenly over the chard. Top with remaining chard. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
• Broil until top is browned, about 3 minutes. Serve immediately with chicken and stuffing.