Equipment
Ingredients
Cranberry Pine Nut Granola Topping
- 50 g rolled oats
- 30 g pine nuts
- 40 g dried cranberries
- 45 g unsalted butter, melted
- 15 ml maple syrup
- 2 g kosher salt
Chard, Apple, and Chestnut Filling
- 400 g swiss chard, stems and leaves separated, roughly chopped
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 50 g shallots, finely diced
- 250 g apples, peeled and diced, about 2 medium apples (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith)
- 150 g cooked chestnuts, peeled and quartered
- 60 ml apple cider
- 60 ml heavy cream
- 4 g kosher salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 g nutmeg, freshly grated
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 346 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 37 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 14 g
- Sodium
- 618 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 7 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 27 mg
- Potassium
- 507 mg
- Calcium
- 81 mg
- Iron
- 4.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 50 mg
- Phosphorus
- 98 mg
- Zinc
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 398 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 47 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 4 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.07 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.07 mg
- Niacin
- 0.5 mg
- Folate
- 22 mcg
- Water
- 57 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius (375 degrees Fahrenheit) and lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.
In a mixing bowl, combine the rolled oats, pine nuts, dried cranberries, melted butter, maple syrup, and salt. Mix until the dry ingredients are completely coated in the wet ingredients and set aside.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the finely diced shallots and chopped Swiss chard stems, sautéing until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the diced apples and quartered chestnuts to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples just begin to soften, about 4 minutes.
Fold the chopped Swiss chard leaves into the skillet in batches, stirring until wilted. Deglaze the pan with the apple cider, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
Stir in the heavy cream, kosher salt, black pepper, and freshly grated nutmeg. Simmer until the liquid reduces by half and lightly glazes the vegetables, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Transfer the vegetable and apple mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it into an even layer. Scatter the cranberry granola topping evenly over the surface.
Bake in the preheated oven at 190 degrees Celsius (375 degrees Fahrenheit) for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the granola topping is golden brown and the edges of the casserole are bubbling.
Remove from the oven and let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to thicken slightly.
Chef's Notes
- Separating the Swiss chard stems from the leaves is crucial. The stems require a longer cooking time similar to onions or celery, while the leaves wilt in mere minutes.
- For the best texture contrast, choose a firm, sweet-tart apple variety like Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Pink Lady. They hold their shape when baked instead of turning to applesauce.
- Vacuum-packed roasted chestnuts save significant prep time and provide an excellent, consistent texture. If roasting raw chestnuts yourself, ensure they are fully tender before adding them to the skillet.
- If you prefer a thicker binding sauce, toss the apples and chestnuts with a teaspoon of all-purpose flour before adding the cider and cream.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Granola topping will soften in the fridge. Reheat in oven to crisp.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze before baking for best results.
Reheating: Reheat in a 175 C / 350 F oven for 15-20 minutes until heated through and crisp.
Troubleshooting
Watery casserole filling
Cause: Chard leaves retained too much washing water, or the cream and cider mixture was not reduced enough before baking.
Fix: Carefully tilt the dish and spoon out excess liquid, then return to the oven for 5 more minutes uncovered.
Prevention: Ensure chard is thoroughly spun dry after washing, and simmer the pan sauce until it noticeably thickens before transferring to the baking dish.
Granola topping burns before the dish is heated through
Cause: Oven temperature is running too hot or the dish is placed on the top rack.
Fix: Tent the baking dish loosely with aluminum foil for the remainder of the cooking time.
Prevention: Bake on the middle rack and verify oven calibration with a thermometer.
Cultural Context
This casserole brings together quintessential autumn flavors, making it a perfect addition to a Thanksgiving spread. The inclusion of roasted chestnuts and apples draws upon traditional seasonal harvest ingredients, while the savory granola offers a modern, textural twist on the classic breadcrumb gratin.
