Monday, June 7, 2010

chard and turnip gratin

finally the stars aligned, and i found a kansas city csa that i could afford and had a nearby pickup area.   granted, i have my own organic garden every year, but i think a csa is perfect for supplementing my own veggies, and hey - it totally inspires my inner chef by providing me with ingredients i'm less familiar with.  this was our first week, and i received an awesome canvas bag with radishes, turnips, swiss chard, red & green lettuce and a kohlrabi.  the first thing i set out to tackle was the turnips...  and threw in some chard.  this gratin was the result, and it was super savory and totally veggie packed.  yum!  thanks greeley gardens!


  • 1 package mori nu firm tofu
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons soy milk
  • 1½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • 3/4 cup button mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/2 cup small turnips, sliced
  • 4 swiss chard leaves, diced
  • 1/3 cup uncooked wild rice
  • 3/4 cup veggie broth
  • 2 tablespoons earth balance
  • 1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 1 tablespoons tamari
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1/4 cup breadcrumbs (optional)

first bring veggie broth to a boil and add wild rice. bring it back to a boil, stir, cover, then simmer for 35 minutes or until veggie broth has evaporated.  in a separate container, pour apple cider vinegar into the soy milk and let sit to thicken.  in the meantime, slice turnips into thin medallions.  also slice mushrooms and chop your swiss chard.

set chopped veggies aside and preheat oven to 375°f.  in a blender, combine the tofu and rest of ingredients (except breadcrumbs) and puree into a thick gratin sauce.  add the earth balance to a large skillet on medium high, and add turnips.  sautée for about 4 minutes, then add mushrooms and sautée for another 2 minutes.  finally add the chard to the mix, cover, and steam/sautée for another 2 minutes.

combine wild rice, veggies and blended gratin sauce in a bowl and mix.  pour into a greased 1.5 quart round casserole dish.  sprinkle the top with bread crumbs if so desired, and bake for 40-45 minutes.  let cool for 5 minutes before serving.  then liberally douse with your favorite hot sauce.  :)

my awesome csa haul:


12 comments:

jessy said...

that's one tasty look'n gratin, fo 'sho! i love both swiss chard & turnips and am gonna have to try this out. mmmmmmmm! so awesome on the CSA, miss v.! that rocks so hard! i can't wait to see what other deliciousnesses you cook up from the goodnesses you receive. w00t!

Lauren said...

Wow this looks awesome!!!!! Looove all the local veggies! Enjoy!!!

Bianca said...

I've tried picking up a friend's CSA when she was out of town, and it's not really my thing. I didn't like not knowing what I was going to get because I'm super nerdy and plan menus out two weeks in advance. Too spontaneous for me! But I love the idea of them!

Mike K said...

I love seeing all of these fresh veggies - I keep thinking I should do the CSA thing some time, because the packages so often look amazing.

The gratin sounds great, and there are so many good things packed in there. I have some turnips hiding in my fridge too, so this might be what they're waiting for.

DJ Karma (VegSpinz) said...

Looks delicious, and super healthy!

Anonymous said...

A delicious looking gratin! It's a great combination of ingredients and the flavors must be fantastic!

Melisser said...

Mmm, I love a good gratin and this looks great!

Charity said...

that sounds soo good. lucky you, part of my brother's csa!

The Voracious Vegan said...

That looks SO TASTY! I love gratins and this one looks like such a winner. I love the combo of chard and turnip, beautiful and perfect for the summer. You are so lucky to be in a CSA - I'm dreaming of all the fresh and beautiful produce you are going to enjoy!

Hannah said...

What an interesting and healthy twist on the traditional potato gratin! I love any dish that can pack in extra greens.

Megan said...

Ooo. Looks yummy! Glad you're enjoying your CSA. I have a small container garden here in the city, and I planted a TON of chard. I'm going to have to try this. Looks delish!

veghunter said...

Hey, enjoyed browsing your blog, very interesting. I recently started my own if you would like to take a look at www.veghunter.wordpress.com
Keep up the great work!