Leafy Greens Gratin
The ‘wow’ side dish you’ve been looking for.
I love using this recipe when I want a ‘wow’ side dish that incorporates a good amount of vegetables but is a total luxury thanks to the Parmesan and crusty bread topping, not to mention that exotic, earthy coriander twist.
The other great thing about this dish is how versatile your vegetable choices are while still producing delicious results. You can use regular onion instead of leeks, play with variations of your leafy greens, and even swap out the arugula and spinach with other leafy greens like rampion and kale. The choice is yours, and the results are delicious. —CFG
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 large leeks (about 8 oz.), white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 bunch spring onions, thinly sliced
2 large bunches arugula, roughly chopped
2 large bunches spinach, roughly chopped
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground sea salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 1/2 cups cream
3/4 plus 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 loaf crusty bread, torn into 1/2" pieces (about 3 cups torn bread)
2 tbsp olive oil
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt butter in a cast iron/oven safe 10" skillet over medium-low heat. Add leeks, garlic, and spring onions and cook, stirring often, until leeks are softened, about 10 minutes. (Keep the heat low enough to stop the leeks from browning.)
Add arugula and spinach in handfuls, cooking and wilting one batch before adding the next.
When all greens are wilted (about 15–20 minutes), add 2 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp ground sea salt, and a pinch of cayenne. Cook and stir until spices are fully incorporated, about 1 minute.
Add the zest of one lemon, 1 1/2 cups of cream, and 3/4 cup of Parmesan. Continue to cook and stir until the cream has slightly reduced then remove from heat.
In a large mixing bowl, toss 3 cups of torn bread with 2 tbsp of oil in a large bowl to coat. Scatter the bread on top of the vegetables, but don’t cover completely. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan on top of mixture.
Transfer the pan to the oven and bake the gratin for 35-45min until the bread is golden brown and crisp. The cheese will be melted with cream bubbling.
Serve right from your cast iron for a rustic touch and enjoy!
