In Season :: Swiss Chard & Egg Casserole

Jeanine here, with the recipe you’re going to want to make for your Easter brunch. I make a lot of veggie-packed frittatas and baked egg dishes, but this one is my newest obsession. The chard (that you don’t even have to precook) creates a light and flaky texture as it bakes in between thin layers of egg. It’s a genius method that I wish I’d thought of myself (thanks for the idea, Food & Wine.) I did take some liberties by adding tangy dijon mustard, salty pecorino, and some meaty cremini mushrooms, and to keep it light and bright, I served it with dollops of lemony greek yogurt. Keep reading for the recipe…

Swiss Chard & Egg Casserole

adapted from Food & Wine

*serves 2-3 as a main dish, 4 as a side 

Ingredients:

• a bit of olive oil, for the pan, to cook the mushrooms
• 1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms
• 4-5 large chard leaves, stems removed, leaves coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup scallions, chopped
• 6 tablespoons freshly grated pecorino cheese
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 5 large eggs
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• a few pinches of red pepper flakes
• salt & pepper

• serve with: crème fraîche, or lemony yogurt: (plain yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, a little minced garlic)

Instructions:

1. preheat oven to 350. Grease a 7″x11″ baking dish (or similar size), and set aside.
2. In a medium skillet heat the oil. Add the mushrooms and a few pinches of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until they’re golden and soft. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Stir in the minced garlic and dijon mustard. Then add in the chard leaves (they should be still raw), mushrooms, scallions, 3 tablespoons (half) of the cheese, and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Toss to coat all of the leaves.
4. Transfer mixture to the baking dish and bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes, until the eggs just start to set.
5. Mix together the remaining cheese with the panko. Sprinkle it on top of the casserole and bake it for about 10 minutes more, until the cheese starts to brown.
6. Sprinkle with a few red pepper flakes and serve with a dollops of crème fraîche or lemony yogurt on the side.

*photos & recipe by Love & Lemons