Potato and chard gratin

This was a recipe from the CSA newsletter: potato and chard gratin.

This was very, very good and may be my new favorite way to make cooking greens. Here's how it goes:

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. potatoes, scrubbed
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 bunch chard, trimmed and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices
• 1 garlic clove, halved
• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (plus extra for coating baking dish)
• 2 tbsp. finely chopped shallot
• 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 2 cups low-fat milk
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. thyme leaves
• 1 ounce Gruyère, grated (1/4 cup) (I used Romano today)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and rub garlic and oil all over a baking dish. I think I used a 1.5 or 2-quart Corningware dish.

First, place the potatoes in a shallow pot and cover with water. Add the salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and boil gently until tender, about 10-20 minutes. Test for doneness with a fork if you're not sure. Add the chard to the pot and simmer for another five minutes. Drain. The recipe says you can also keep the cooking liquid to use instead of the milk for the sauce. I think that would be a good idea for vegans, but then it's not really a béchamel or even a gratin. (But it would still probably be good.)

Meanwhile, you make the béchamel. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan or small sauce pot. Add the shallot and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for another 3 minutes, until smooth and bubbling but not brown. Whisk in the milk all at once and bring to a simmer while you whisk. The mixture will begin to thicken. At this point, turn the heat to low and simmer while you stir often with a whisk or rubber spatula. After about 10-15 minutes of this, the sauce should be thick and will have lost its floury taste. The recipe says to strain, but I didn't because I like the shallot pieces.

Cut potatoes into quarters or halves, depending on their size. You want bite-sized pieces. Combine with the chard stalks and thyme in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add béchamel and stir until the vegetables are coated with sauce. Scrape into the baking dish and sprinkle with cheese.

Bake 20-25 min. until bubbling and beginning to brown on top.

This was really, really good. It had a very delicate flavor, and we especially liked how the cooking greens (we actually used kale) turned out very soft but not mushy. I've been really happy with the recipes from the CSA newsletter this year!