Beet Greens and Rice Gratin
Published April 18, 2013
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
- Total Time
- 1 hour 15 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
1 generous bunch beet greens, stemmed and washed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
3 eggs
½ cup low-fat milk (2 percent)
Freshly ground pepper
1 cup cooked brown rice, arborio rice or Calrose rice
2 ounces Gruyère cheese, grated (½ cup, tightly packed)
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
¼ cup bread crumbs (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)
34 grams carbs; 93 milligrams cholesterol; 280 calories; 5 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 11 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 315 milligrams sodium; 11 grams protein; 2 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Oil a 2-quart gratin dish with olive oil. Either blanch the beet greens for 1 minute in a large pot of generously salted boiling water, or steam over an inch of boiling water for 2 to 5 minutes, until wilted and tender. Rinse with cold water, squeeze out water and chop medium-fine. Set aside.
- Step 2
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes, and add the garlic and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the cooked greens and the thyme and toss together. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.
- Step 3
In a large bowl, beat together the eggs and milk. Add ½ teaspoon salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Stir in the greens mixture, the rice and the cheeses and mix together well. Scrape into the oiled baking dish. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top. Drizzle on the remaining tablespoon of oil.
- Step 4
Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until sizzling and lightly browned on the top and sides. Remove from the heat and allow to sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Advance preparation: The gratin will be good for 3 or 4 days, and is as good served cold or at room temperature as it is hot.
Private Notes
Comments
This recipe should read 1 cup rice, cooked. I used 1 cup of cooked rice and it was not nearly enough.
I thought my bunch of beet greens was pretty substantial, but this was just enough for an 8X8 baking dish. I cut the tender beet stems into 1/4" pieces and sauteed them along with the onions. Also added two slices of crumbled, crispy bacon. This dish is a very good way to use beet greens, as it's a shame to throw them out.
Based on earlier comments, I doubled the amount of cooked rice and the results were fine.
I find I get a better topping when I mix the breadcrumbs with the oil, and then spread on top.
Hi — perhaps the instructions are meant to scale up? The photo on this looks like a 5 quart dish. I used my 2 quart dish, added 2 cups of cooked brown rice, about 2 cups packed leaves, some crispy bacon bits from 2 strips of bacon and then followed the recipe. Mixture only came up to about an inch or inch and one half in the dish. NOT the three inch casserole in the photo. Next time, will double the recipe to fit in a 2 quart casserole. Not rating as I think this needs a review and heavy editing.
This was good, if a little fussy with the beet greens, rice, and onions having to be cooked separately. I used fresh bread crumbs from a stale loaf, and would recommend that. Also, I thought I had a gargantuan bunch of greens but they cooked down to exactly the right amount. Err on the side of more greens.