Author Notes
You can't go wrong serving a vegetable gratin this time of year. My only complaint is that most recipes serve up to a dozen folks, and we are a family of two. So I adapted my gratin recipe to make about four servings, enough for leftovers. Healing from a hip injury, I streamlined the cooking method by buying pre-washed packaged kale and -- gasp -- cooking it in the microwave. —Lizthechef
Test Kitchen Notes
The crunchy topping against the cheesy-coated kale makes this is an ideal side dish on a chilly evening -- or any evening, for that matter. Be bold with your pinches of nutmeg and cayenne if you prefer a bit more oomph, and enjoy this classic comfort food with a new twist. —figgypudding
Continue After Advertisement
Ingredients
-
1 1/2 cups
whole milk
-
2 tablespoons
unsalted butter
-
1
small yellow onion, chopped
-
2 tablespoons
all-purpose unbleached white flour
-
1 pinch
freshly ground nutmeg, or more to taste
-
1 pinch
cayenne pepper, or more to taste
-
3/4 cup
Gruyère cheese, coarsely grated
-
10 ounces
washed and chopped Tuscan kale
-
1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt
-
1/4 teaspoon
ground black pepper
-
1/2 cup
panko breadcrumbs
-
2 tablespoons
Parmesan cheese, finely grated
-
A pinch of sweet Hungarian paprika
-
1 tablespoon
unsalted butter, chopped
Directions
-
Heat the oven to 375° F.
-
Heat the milk, using a glass measuring cup, for 1 minute on high in the microwave.
-
Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the chopped onion and cook over medium heat until the onion is translucent but not browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the flour, stirring until combined, and then whisk in the hot milk. Whisk sauce until it thickens and will coat the back of a wooden spoon. Add the nutmeg and cayenne. Stir, turn off the heat, and then stir in the Gruyère until melted and combined.
-
Add the kale, salt, and pepper to the béchamel. Turn the heat back on and cook until the kale begins to just wilt, about 3 minutes.
-
Turn everything into an 8-inch glass baking dish or similarly sized gratin dish. Combine the panko and Parmesan, then sprinkle over the gratin. Dust with a pinch of paprika and dot with butter.
-
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until hot and bubbling.
See what other Food52ers are saying.