Kale Gratin with Pancetta
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Kale gratin with pancetta blanches hearty greens and folds them into a rich garlic cream sauce with crispy pancetta, then crowns with golden Parmesan breadcrumbs. A holiday-worthy alternative to creamed spinach.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
16 minCOOK
19 minREADY
36 minKale gratin with pancetta is creamed spinach all grown up. Sturdy kale leaves get a quick blanch in salted water to tame their bite, then go into a rich pan sauce built around crisped pancetta, garlic, cream, and a whisper of nutmeg.
The pancetta is what makes this gratin sing. Crisped first in olive oil, those salty pork bits leave behind rendered fat that flavors every other component. The cream then reduces in that same pan to a thick, garlicky sauce that coats the kale beautifully without making it soupy.
Under the broiler, a topping of olive oil-tossed breadcrumbs and grated Parmigiano browns into a crunchy golden crust. The contrast of crispy crumbs against tender, creamy greens is the whole point of any good gratin. Serve alongside roast pork, beef tenderloin, or with crusty bread for a vegetarian-leaning meatless main.
Pro Tips
- Strip the tough center stems from the kale before blanching. The stems stay woody no matter how long they cook and ruin the bite.
- Squeeze the blanched kale firmly in a clean dish towel before adding to the cream. Wet greens water down the sauce and the gratin turns soupy in the casserole.
- Reduce the cream to about ½ cup before adding the greens. Underdone cream sauce slides right off the kale instead of clinging to it.
- Watch the broiler closely. Breadcrumbs go from golden to charcoal in about 30 seconds. Stay at the oven and pull as soon as you see deep brown.
Variations
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the broiler but place the oven rack on the second shelf down from the heat source.
Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a deep skillet or pot, add the kale and salt and cook 5 to 6 minutes, drain and dry the greens.
Return the skillet to the stove over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and pancetta.
Crisp the pancetta and add the cream and garlic.
Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper then reduce 7 to 8 minutes to about ½ to ⅔ cup.
Stir in cooked greens to cream and stir to coat evenly.
Transfer to shallow casserole.
Toss with breadcrumbs with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Season the crumbs with salt and pepper and combine with cheese.
Put the casserole on the second shelf under broiler and brown breadcrumbs and cheese for 5 minutes.
Serve warm.
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