Swiss Chard Gratin With Vegan Bechamel Recipes

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.