Ingredients:
¾ cup short grain brown rice
2 bunches kale
2½ tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion
½ cup chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup milk or almond milk
1½ teaspoons sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of fresh grated nutmeg
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
7 ounces semi-hard cheese shredded
½ cup fresh breadcrumbs
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch baking dish.
2. Cook the rice in 1½ cups boiling water. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 35-40 minutes, until tender. Set aside.
3. Wash the kale, strip the leaves from the stems, and cut the leaves into 1-inch strips. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the kale for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse to cool, squeezing out any excess water. Set aside.
4. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 4 minutes, or until it begins to brown. Add the chicken or vegetable stock and boil for 3 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced to less than ¼ cup. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the milk along with the salt, pepper, nutmeg, rice, and kale. Remove from heat and stir in the egg, yolk, and 1½ cups of the cheese, mixing thoroughly.
5. Spread the mixture in the baking dish and top with the reserved cheese and breadcrumbs. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the gratin is golden brown on top and bubbling around the edges.
6. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Serves 4-6 as a side dish