Spinach and Kale Gratin

Ingredients

• 1 small baguette, about 8 ounces
• 2 tablespoons butter melted
• 1 teaspoon dry thyme
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup shallots, chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 pound Tuscan Kale, removed from stems and chopped
• 8 ounces baby spinach
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoons corn starch
• 4 ounces goat cheese
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup Romano cheese grated
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. 2

   Remove crust from baguette and cut into cubes.

3. 3

   Toss with butter, thyme, garlic and grated Parmesan.

4. 4

   Pour onto a small sheet pan and bake 20 minutes, flipping half way through cooking time. Set aside to cool.

5. 5

   (Alternatively, you can purchase stuffing bread cubes instead of making your own if you are pressed for time)

6. 6

   In a large pan or pot, heat oil and butter over medium high heat and add shallots.

7. 7

   Cook for two minutes and add garlic. Cook for one minute.

8. 8

   Add kale and spinach and cook just until wilted, about two minutes.

9. 9

   Stir corn starch and goat cheese into cream to form a slurry and add to kale mixture.

10. 10

    Stir and cook over medium heat until bubbling.

11. 11

    Add Parmesan, Romano, salt, pepper and cheddar cheese and cook until the cheese has melted into the mixture.

12. 12

    Butter an 8×8-inch pan or equivalent-size casserole dish and pour in the kale mixture.

13. 13

    Pour cooled toasted bread cubes into a food possessor and pulse just to break up into rice sized pieces.

14. 14

    Pour over kale, cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes. Remove foil and bake for five minutes more.

15. 15

    Serve hot.