Tomato, Swiss Chard, Gruyere Casserole

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Sometimes you have to go a little Provencal!  The Mediterranean flavors are still there, if you wanted to Italian-ize this dish, maybe replace the gruyere with mozzarella.  This recipe comes from Food & Wine, I used Roma tomatoes instead of beefsteak, and it turned out beautifully! Enjoy while it still feels like Summer!

Ingredients: (Serves 8)

  • 5 1/2 lbs. Swiss Chard, stemmed
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 large onions, diced
  • 1 T chopped thyme
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 3 cups low-sodium chicken stock
  • 1 day old loaf of country bread, sliced 1/2 inch think ( I used organic whole wheat)
  • 3 lbs. Roma tomatoes, sliced 1/2 inch thick
  • 9 oz. Gruyere cheese, shredded
  • 3 T unsalted butter, cubed
  1. In a large pot of boiling water, cook the chard for 2 minutes, drain.  When the leaves are cool enough to handle, squeeze out the excess water.  Coarsely chop the chard.
  2. In the same pot, heat the olive oil.  Add the onions and thyme and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 12 minutes.  Add the chard and the wine and simmer over moderately hight heat until the wine is reduced, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  In a small saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer. Butter a 10x15 inch baking dish.  Line the bottom of the dish with one-third of the bread, overlapping the slices slightly and cutting the bread to fit.  Top with half of the tomato slices and season with salt and pepper.  Spread half of the chard on top, then sprinkle with half of the cheese.  Repeat the layering once and finish with the remaining bread. Pour the warm stock over the casserole and press with a spatula.  Top with the cubed butter.
  4. Cover the dish with foil and bake in the oven for 1 hour.  Uncover the dish and bake for about 10 - 15 minutes longer, until the top is browned and crisp.  Let the casserole rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

If you would like to stick with the Provencal theme, a nice Rose' or Beaujolais would be a great wine pairing.