Swiss Chard Gratin With Vegan Bechamel 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.

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 WITH VEGAN BECHAMEL

Steps:

• Bechamel: Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour, stir it in quickly with a wooden spoon, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously, without coloring (that's a roux blanc). Remove from the heat, add a little of the milk, whisk it in to form a smooth mixture, then add the rest of the milk over medium heat, a little at a time, whisking well between each addition. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring continuously, until thickened to a velvety consistency. Remove from the heat, season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and use while still warm. Gratin: Separate the leaves from the stalks of the chard (I use kitchen shears to cut along the stalks). Trim and slice the stalks, then chop the leaves, keeping stalks and leaves separate. Heat a gurgle of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until translucent. Add the Swiss chard stalks and cook for 5 minutes, until softened, stirring from time to time. Add the leaves and cook for 2 minutes, until just wilted. Drain the vegetables (this is important, otherwise the excess water will pool at the bottom of the gratin dish; keep the cooking juices to use as a light broth). Season with salt and pepper (ready-made béchamel may be strongly seasoned, so season the chard accordingly). Preheat the oven to 200° C (400° F) and grease a medium baking dish with a little oil. In a bowl, whisk together the béchamel and the egg, if using. Fold in the cooked chard, pour into the prepared baking dish, and level the surface. Sprinkle with cheese and oat bran, and bake for 15 minutes, until set and golden. Switch to broiler setting for a couple more minutes if you'd like the top to brown a little further, but watch it closely. Let set for 5 minutes before serving.