Spring is the season of renewal, and what better way to celebrate than with a vibrant and flavorful dish that showcases the best of the season's bounty? This spring greens and leek gratin recipe is a delightful combination of fresh, tender spring greens, savory leeks, and a rich, creamy sauce, all topped with a golden-brown crust of melted cheese. As an added bonus, the recipe includes variations for making the gratin with other vegetables, such as spinach, kale, or Swiss chard, and for adding protein, such as bacon or ham. Whether you're looking for a light and healthy side dish or a hearty vegetarian main course, this versatile gratin is sure to please.
Let's cook with our recipes!
LEEK AND SPRING ONION GRATIN
Lighter than a potato gratin, but still luscious from heavy cream and cheese, this allium-rich dish has a crunchy bread crumb and anchovy topping to take it over the top. If you can't find spring onions - newly harvested onions often sold with the green stems still attached - use regular onions or shallots. Or try red onions for a shot of bright color among the soft greens and golds in the pan. Serve this as a side dish with grilled or roasted meats or fish.
Provided by Melissa Clark
Categories dinner, lunch, casseroles, side dish
Time 1h
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Place a rack in the top third of oven and heat to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, toss scallions, green garlic, salt and pepper.
- Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Arrange the leeks cut-side down in the skillet, then scatter spring onions in the gaps. Sprinkle a little more salt on top, then spread scallion mixture in an even layer in pan. Pour in 1/4 cup water and top with butter.
- Cover and and simmer on low heat until vegetables are soft, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Uncover the pan, turn heat to medium-high and cook until liquid is evaporated and edges are starting to brown and sizzle, 5 to 10 minutes longer.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, rub together anchovies, Parmesan, panko, thyme, lemon zest and red pepper flakes. Drizzle in oil and toss to combine.
- Sprinkle Gruyère evenly into skillet over leeks, pour in cream, then top with the bread crumb mixture. Drizzle with a little more oil. Transfer to oven and bake until golden and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool slightly, then serve warm.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 372, UnsaturatedFat 11 grams, Carbohydrate 13 grams, Fat 31 grams, Fiber 1 gram, Protein 11 grams, SaturatedFat 18 grams, Sodium 380 milligrams, Sugar 3 grams, TransFat 0 grams
THREE-GREENS GRATIN
This is a Provençal style gratin, or tian, dense with greens and bound with rice and egg. You can play around with the mix of greens; switch out beet greens for spinach, or some of the chard for kale (kale will require a minute or two more of blanching). I have kept the seasonings to a minimum as you have plenty to prep, but a Provençal cook would probably add chopped parsley and perhaps savory or rosemary. You won't be using the chard ribs here, but keep them to use in other dishes.
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Categories dinner, pastas, main course
Time 1h15m
Yield Serves 6 generously
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you stem and wash the greens. When the water comes to a boil salt generously and add chard. Blanch for 1 minute, until just wilted, and using a skimmer or a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl of cold water. Drain and squeeze out excess water, taking the chard up by the handful. Chop medium-fine and set aside. You should have about 2 cups.
- Bring the water back to a boil and blanch beet greens for 1 minute; if using spinach, blanch for 20 seconds only. Transfer to a bowl of cold water, drain and squeeze out excess water. Chop medium-fine. You should have about 1 cup (less for spinach).
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 2-quart baking dish with olive oil.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes, and add leeks. Cook, stirring, until leeks begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes, and add garlic and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until garlic is fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute, and add cabbage and thyme. Cook, stirring often, until cabbage collapses in pan, about 5 minutes, and add another generous pinch of salt. Continue to cook the mixture until the cabbage is tender, sweet, and beginning to color, about 10 minutes. Stir in chopped blanched greens and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir together for about a minute and remove from the heat.
- Beat eggs in a large bowl and add a pinch of nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in rice or farro, vegetable mixture and cheeses. Scrape into prepared baking dish. If using breadcrumbs, toss with remaining tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle over the top. If not using breadcrumbs drizzle remaining oil over the top.
- Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until top is lightly browned. Remove from heat and allow to sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot, warm or room temperature.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 302, UnsaturatedFat 9 grams, Carbohydrate 30 grams, Fat 15 grams, Fiber 9 grams, Protein 16 grams, SaturatedFat 5 grams, Sodium 1049 milligrams, Sugar 7 grams, TransFat 0 grams
POTATO LEEK GRATIN
Layer thinly sliced potatoes in a gratin dish, and then take your time sautéing the leeks, letting them turn a little golden and crisp around the edges, which brings out their sweetness. Add the leeks to the potatoes, and using the same pan in which you cooked the leeks, scrape up the brown bits at the bottom of the pan with a mix of cream, garlic, thyme and nutmeg, pouring that over the potatoes and leeks.
Provided by Melissa Clark
Categories casseroles, side dish
Time 1h30m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Heat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 2-quart gratin dish. Wash the leeks to remove any grit and slice thinly crosswise.
- Using a mandoline or sharp knife, slice the potatoes into rounds, 1/8-inch thick. Toss with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Layer the rounds in the gratin dish.
- Melt the 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks, remaining salt and pepper, and thyme. Cook, stirring, until leeks are tender and golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Discard thyme and scatter the leeks over the potatoes.
- Add cream, garlic and bay leaf to the skillet, scraping up browned bits of leeks from the bottom of the pan. Simmer gently for 5 minutes. Stir in nutmeg.
- Pour the cream over the leeks and potatoes and top with the Gruyère. Cover with aluminum foil and transfer to the oven. Bake for 40 minutes, uncover and bake until the cheese is bubbling and golden, 15 to 20 minutes longer. Let cool slightly before serving.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 352, UnsaturatedFat 8 grams, Carbohydrate 27 grams, Fat 24 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 9 grams, SaturatedFat 15 grams, Sodium 461 milligrams, Sugar 4 grams, TransFat 0 grams
LEEK GRATIN
This cheesy leek side dish goes well with our Brandied Ham.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Main Dish Recipes Casserole Recipes
Time 1h15m
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Halve leeks lengthwise, leaving halves attached at root, and rinse well, shaking off water.
- In a large skillet, combine cream and leeks; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high; reduce to a medium simmer, cover, and cook 5 minutes. Uncover and simmer until leeks are tender, 15 minutes. Transfer leeks and sauce to a shallow 2-quart baking dish.
- Sprinkle with cheese and bake until golden and bubbling, about 35 minutes. Let gratin rest 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 251 g, Fat 21 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 4 g
Tips:
- Choose the freshest greens and leeks: Look for greens with vibrant color and no signs of wilting. Leeks should be firm and have a mild, sweet flavor.
- Wash the greens and leeks thoroughly: This will remove any dirt or debris. You can use a salad spinner to dry them quickly.
- Use a variety of greens: This will add flavor and texture to the gratin. Some good options include spinach, kale, Swiss chard, and collard greens.
- Don't overcook the greens: They should be tender but still have a bit of a bite to them. Overcooked greens will be mushy and bland.
- Use a good quality cheese: The cheese is one of the main ingredients in this dish, so it's important to use a cheese that you enjoy. A sharp cheddar or Gruyère are both good options.
- Serve the gratin hot: This dish is best enjoyed when it's hot and bubbly. You can serve it as a main course or a side dish.
Conclusion:
Spring greens and leek gratin is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It's a good way to get your daily dose of vegetables, and it's also a great way to use up leftover greens. With its creamy, cheesy sauce and crispy topping, this gratin is sure to be a hit with everyone at the table.
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
You'll also love