In her restaurants and at home, my mother made gratins of potatoes, cauliflower, mushrooms, tomatoes, eggplant, and Swiss chard. I wanted to make this simple gratin of Swiss chard for Shorey. Back in my youth, the chard was always very large and only the ribs were used in gratins. The young chard available now is tender enough that you can use both the leaves and ribs, and it cooks in just a few minutes. I combine it with a white sauce, a simple mixture of hot milk and potato starch (cornstarch can be substituted). Adding cream gives the dish a wonderful taste, and the cheese makes a nice crust. This makes a great accompaniment to roast poultry or meat, and it can also be served on its own as a first course.
Serves 4
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Wash the chard and cut it into 2- or 3-inch pieces. Put 1½ cups water in a saucepan, add the salt, and bring to a boil. Add the chard and cook over high heat for about 5 minutes, until the chard is wilted and cooked but still a bit crunchy. Drain in a colander and rinse briefly under cold water to stop the cooking and keep the chard green.
Drain the chard well and arrange it in a gratin dish.
For the sauce: Mix 2 tablespoons of the milk with the potato starch or cornstarch; set aside.
Bring the remaining milk to a boil in a saucepan. Stirring, add the slurry of milk and starch; the mixture will thicken immediately. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Pour the sauce over the chard, moving the chard lightly with a fork so the sauce mixes in well. Sprinkle the cheese on top and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is brown and bubbling. Serve.