Au Gratin

When I was young, my parents would make those nasty boxed au gratin potatoes. I despised these potatoes with every inch of my being. When my parents split, since my dad couldn't cook, he'd make them and serve them with ham steak and canned waxed beans. Yuck! As an extra added coincidence, while I was telling my boyfriend about this week's recipe, he mentioned that his parents, too, used to make ham steak with au gratin potatoes; he, too, cannot stand either.

This recipe is much better. First of all, nothing comes from a box. How on earth anyone thinks cheese sauce in a box is a good idea is beyond me. It's probably the same people who make the cheese sauce for Kraft Mac-n-Cheese. To each their own, I suppose. But no, this is made from scratch. Second of all, the potatoes are replaced by swiss chard.

Swiss chard is a dark leafy green with bright red stems (I think it looks a bit like rhubarb). It's related to the beet, which is why the red stems taste very very much like a beet. The green leaves are rich and dark and reminiscent of kale. Chard is chock full of phytonutrients and antioxidents; it's also an excellent source of vitamins K, A, and C and magnesium.

This recipe is not dairy free, so if you're concerned about that, please see my note about dairy. Also, this recipe does require the ability to multitask. I know, I know; multitasking really isn't that good for your brain, but the results are totally worth it.

Swiss Chard Au Gratin

For this recipe, you will need:

• 2 bunches of Swiss chard
• 2 Tbs goose (or duck or bacon) fat -- I used goose because I have a huge vat of it in my freezer from the goose I made last Christmas.
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 Tbs lemon juice
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 cups whole grass-fed milk
• 1 Tb butter
• 1 C parmasean cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. First you'll need wash the chard and separate the stalks from the leaves. I find it easiest to do the latter by folding the leaf in half around the stem and then running a very sharp knife down the "spine" of the leaf. If there's still tiny bits of leaf attached to the stem, that's fine. It's just that you're going to saute the stem and blanch the leaves so it's pretty hard to do that while they're still fully attached.
2. Once you have your stems separated, you should chop them into small bits -- about 1/4 inch in length. Make sure you get them all about the same size so that they cook evenly.
3. Heat up a skillet and melt your goose (or duck or bacon) fat over medium-high heat. Drop in your chard stem bits and then pour 1 Tb of the lemon juice over the top. Saute until the bits shrink a bit and are nice and tender.
4. While the bits are sauteing, put some salted water on to boil for the leaves. In a separate saucepan (see, I told you about the multitasking) whisk together your egg yolk and yogurt. Turn the heat up on this and slowly add your milk and bring to a simmer.
5. Once your bits are nice and tender, deglaze your pan and bits with the remaining 2 Tbs of lemon juice. Remove the bits from the pan and set aside while leaving the liquid behind. Add the liquid to your dairy mixture. Once the dairy is simmering happily, remove it from the heat so that you don't scald it.
6. Once your water is boiling, get a bowl of ice water ready. Drop one handful of your chard leaves in and let them wilt down for a few minutes -- no longer than five (5). With a slotted spoon, remove your leaves and drop them into the ice water to halt the cooking process. Repeat until all of your leaves are cooked. Strain the water out of the leaves and then mix them with the stem bits. 
7. Butter (or goose fat up) a two-inch (2") deep casserole pan. Spread a thin layer of the dairy sauce in the bottom. Add in half of your chard, half of the remaining dairy sauce, and then half of the cheese. Repeat once more: the remaining half of the chard, half of the sauce, and the rest of the cheese. Top with pats of butter.
8. Pop in a preheated oven (375 F) for half an hour until bubbling and then pop under the broiler for an additional five (5) minutes to brown the top. 
9. Serve nice and hot with your favorite dinner. I had mine with a roasted chicken and it was super yummy. 
10. Enjoy! :)