Artichoke & Kale Gratin Recipe

Trim and blanch

If using fresh artichokes: trim tough outer leaves and stems, remove choke if present, quarter hearts and rub with lemon. Bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer and blanche artichoke quarters 5–7 minutes until just tender; drain and cool. If using frozen, thaw and drain well.

Remove tough rib from kale: stack leaves, fold, and slice into thin ribbons. Bring the blanched artichoke quarters and sliced kale to room temperature or pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 6–8 minutes.

Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Add the sliced kale, increase heat slightly, and cook until wilted and any released liquid has mostly evaporated, about 3–5 minutes. Transfer onion–kale mixture to a bowl and fold in the blanched artichoke hearts and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Taste and adjust salt/pepper lightly.

In the same pan over medium heat, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk constantly to form a roux. Cook the roux 1–2 minutes, whisking, until it smells slightly toasty but not browned.

Slowly whisk in the milk and half-and-half/cream, a little at a time, smoothing out lumps. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, whisking frequently, and cook until slightly thickened, 4–6 minutes.

Stir in Dijon mustard, 3/4 cup of the Parmesan, half of the Gruyère/cheddar (reserve remaining cheeses for topping), nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more salt/pepper or lemon as desired. Remove from heat.

Lightly butter a 9x9-inch (or similar 2–3 quart) baking dish. Spread half of the vegetable mixture in an even layer in the dish, pour half of the sauce over it. Add the remaining vegetable mixture, then pour the rest of the sauce, using a spatula to smooth and ensure even coverage.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan and remaining Gruyère/cheddar over the top.

In a small bowl, toss panko breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper until moistened. Sprinkle evenly over the gratin.

Bake in the preheated 375°F (190°C) oven for 25–30 minutes, until bubbling at the edges and top is golden brown. If top browning is slow, place under broiler 1–2 minutes — watch carefully to avoid burning.

Remove from oven and let rest 8–10 minutes to set. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and an extra squeeze of lemon if desired before serving.