Kale Gratin with Ricotta and Gruyère

This is an easy gratin that’s full of kale goodness, but also decadently creamy and cheesy. You can put it together the night before and bake it off the next day, making it a great weeknight option.

Serves 4-6

• 3 large bunches kale, or half kale, half Swiss chard (about 2 lbs)

• 1 medium onion, rough chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, rough chopped

• 2 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 t dried)

• 1⁄4 t nutmeg

• 1 1⁄4 c heavy cream

• 1 c whole milk ricotta

• 1 T Dijon mustard

• 1 lemon

• 1⁄4 c white wine

• 1⁄4 t red pepper flakes

• 1 clove garlic, grated

• 1 c shredded Gruyère cheese

• 1⁄4 c panko

• 1 t olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Place onion, garlic, cream, thyme, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for 15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Place ricotta and mustard in a blender with the zest from half the lemon and the red pepper flakes. Remove thyme sprigs from the cream and pour contents of the saucepan into the blender. Blend until smooth.

Remove ribs from the kale, rough chop leaves and place in a colander. Rinse leaves. Heat the largest ovenproof skillet you have over medium heat and add about 1⁄3 of the kale leaves. Cover skillet and wilt leaves, 3-4 minutes. Do this in batches until all kales is wilted. Remove from the heat and add wine to the skillet. Pour the contents of the blender into the skillet and stir to combine with the wilted kale. Taste to see if there’s sufficient salt and add if necessary.

Make panko topping by combining breadcrumbs with olive oil, zest from the other half of the lemon, the grated garlic clove, 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and 1⁄4 t black pepper.

Distribute Gruyère over the top of the gratin, sprinkle bread crumb mixture on top of cheese, and place in the oven. Bake for 45-50 minutes until the top has browned in places.