Zucchini Chard Gratin

I’ve declared this week Zucchini Week. Harvest those last zucchinis in your garden or buy them up at the farmers market and grocery store on sale, and make these delicious recipes! Come back on Wednesday and Friday for more zucchini recipes.

This gratin is almost like a quiche, but the egg here is just enough to hold together the zucchini, swiss chard, bacon, and cheese packed into the dish. The flavor, upped by the inclusion of herbs and garlic, is amazing, and when I made this, I lamented not having made twice as much. So this recipe is twice the amount that I made; expect your gratin to be about twice as thick as mine – and you won’t be sorry.

Zucchini Chard Gratin (adapted from Local Kitchen Blog)
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 lb zucchini (about 2 large or 4 medium zucchinis), seeded if very large
• 1/2 Tbsp kosher salt
• 4 – 6 slices bacon
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 lb swiss chard, chopped
• 1/2 cup herb(s) of choice, minced*
• 4 – 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup hard cheese(s) of choice, grated**
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 Tbsp butter, melted + extra for greasing the dish

*I used basil (it’s growing like crazy in my garden) – parsley, oregano, or thyme would also work well.
**I used a mixture of gouda and parmesan.

Method:

1. Grate 2 lb zucchini (about 2 large or 4 medium zucchinis), seeded if very large and toss with 1/2 Tbsp kosher salt. Transfer to a colander and allow to drain for 30 minutes before squeezing out all excess liquid (wrapping the zucchini in a kitchen towel and twisting works best here).
2. Meanwhile, in a large sautee pan, cook 4 – 6 slices bacon until crispy; remove to a paper towel and crumble when cooled.
3. In the still-hot bacon fat over medium heat, cook 1 large onion, diced until translucent (about 5 – 10 minutes).
4. Add 1 lb swiss chard, chopped and cook until just wilted (about 2 – 3 minutes). Remove the pan from the heat.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
6. In a large bowl, combine the grated zucchini, crumbled bacon, sauteed onions and chard, 1/2 cup herb(s) of choice, minced, 4 – 6 cloves garlic, minced, and half of 1 cup hard cheese(s) of choice, grated. Mix thoroughly, taste, and add salt and pepper, to taste
7. Add 4 eggs, lightly beaten and mix well.
8. Butter an 8×8 square pan (you can use a casserole dish or larger pan, keeping in mind that the pan size will change how thick the gratin is and how long it takes to cook), and fill with the zucchini mixture.
9. Top the gratin with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and 2 Tbsp butter, melted.
10. Bake at 350 degrees until browned, about 40 – 45 minutes.