CSA Cooking: Kale + Cabbage Gratin

The leafy green gods have struck again. This week’s CSA included farao green cabbage, red russian kale (look at those gorgeous purple stems!), swiss chard, lettuce, scallions, beets, and sugar snap peas. Looking for something a little different this week, Heather stumbled upon this NYT recipe for a savory gratin that incorporates both kale and cabbage, along with fresh sage, which we have growing on the deck. It’s an easy peasy and delicious recipe that we prepped in advance. Here goes!

Kale + Cabbage Gratin from Martha Rose Schulman for the New York Times

• 1 pound kale, stemmed, washed thoroughly and cut in slivers
• 1 pound cabbage, quartered, cored and cut in slivers
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• 6 leaves fresh sage, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup brown rice, cooked
• 3 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (3/4 cup, tightly packed)
• 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a two-quart gratin or whatever you have (we used an 8×8 square glass casserole).
2. Heat two tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat, and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender and translucent, about five minutes. Stir in the garlic, sage, and thyme, and cook for another minute until fragrant.
3. Stir in the kale and about 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook in the liquid clinging to the washed leaves until the kale begins to wilt. Stir often, and when most of the kale has wilted, add the cabbage and salt to taste. Add 1/2 cup water, and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes until the water has evaporated; the kale and cabbage should be wilted and fragrant but still have some texture and color. Add pepper, taste and adjust salt.
4. Beat the eggs in a bowl, and stir in the cooked vegetables, the rice and Gruyère. Stir together well, and scrape into the baking dish. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top, and drizzle on the remaining olive oil.
5. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until firm and browned on the top. Allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. Serve hot or warm.

Despite needing to have the oven on in the middle of a hot day, this dish was a wonderful, tasty way to incorporate summer’s leafy greens. The thyme and sage are a great complement to the earthiness of the kale and brown rice. And the Gruyère added another lovely layer of flavor.

We chose to prepare the vegetables through step 3 earlier in the day, so that the gratin could be assembled and popped in the oven at dinner time. You could eat this warm, hot, or at room temperature. After a few days of leftovers, I even ate one serving over plain pasta and topped it with some feta cheese. Enjoy!