Creamy Swiss Chard Gratin {Bietola Cremosa al Gratin}

• Heat the oven to 400 F. Have ready a shallow 4-cup ceramic gratin dish or casserole dish (any shape is fine as long as it's shallow). Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and toss it in a small bowl with the breadcrumbs and a pinch of kosher salt and a little ground pepper; set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, bring the cream and garlic to a boil over medium-high heat (watch that it doesn't boil over), immediately lower the heat, and simmer vigorously until the cream reduces to about 3/4 cup, 4 to 8 minutes. (Don't over-reduce.) Take the pan off the heat and remove and discard the garlic cloves. Let the cream cool slightly, stirring occasionally to keep skin from forming. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper.
• Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, cook the bacon or pancetta over medium heat until crisped and browned, about 7 minutes. Transfer to paper towels, and carefully pour off most of the excess fat in the skillet (but don't wipe it clean). Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet and let it melt. Add the Swiss Chard, season with 1/4 teaspoon salt if using bacon (omit the salt if using pancetta), and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Transfer the greens to the gratin dish and spread them evenly.
• Sprinkle the bacon or pancetta evenly over the greens. Sprinkle on the cheese. Pour the seasoned cream over all, and top with the buttered breadcrumbs. Bake until the gratin is brown and bubbly, about 25 minutes. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
• *******************************************************************************************************************

Directions on how to prep & Cook the Greens

• To get the 2 cups of cooked greens you need for the gratin, be sure to start out with the amount of raw vegetables specified below.
• Cut off and discard the tough stems (use a small, sharp paring knife and trim around the stem).
• I find it easier to use a large spaghetti pot with the strainer insert.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil, submerge all the greens, and cook just until tender (see cooking times below). Drain well and then spread on a towel to absorb excess moisture. If the green still seem very wet, squeeze them gently to remove excess liquid.
• Swiss Chard-- Start with 1 3/4 pounds chard, stems cut away and reserved for another use (slice, freeze, and add to your next vegetable soup) and leaves roughly chopped to yield about 9 1/2 cups for 12 ounces. Cook for: 1 minute
• Spinach --Start with 1 pound of mature spinach, stems removed and leaves roughly chopped to yield about 7 cups lightly packed or 12 ounces.Cook for: 30 seconds, just until wilted.
• Broccoli raab -- Start with a 1 pound bunch broccoli raab, tough lower stems removed (almost half the bunch), as well as any discolored leaves, and the rest very roughly chopped to yield about 6 heaping cups. Cook for: 2 minutes
• Kale -- Start with 1 1/4 pounds kale, tough stems trimmed away, leaves roughly chopped to yield 6 cups lightly packed. Cook for: 8 minutes