Mixed Greens Gratin with Polenta Croutons is a recipe born out of necessity. This time of the growing season there are so many greens growing in the garden – beet greens, collard greens, Swiss chard, romaine, mustard greens… You could easily double or triple this recipe depending on the quantity of greens you have on hand and the size of your baking dish. The flavor profile will be different based on the types of greens you use, but the creamy, cheesy topping goes with about anything. Actually, the Polenta Croutons are what makes this dish special – they’re creamy and cheesy too, but they’re also crunchy on the edges. It’s lovely.

Mixed Greens Gratin with Polenta Croutons is a good dish for entertaining because you can prepare the Polenta Croutons and the greens in advance, then just assemble and bake when your guest arrive. It’s also a great dish for someone like me who is totally exhausted by the end of the day after working outside in the sun. I like to do as much prep in the morning as possible, before heading out to the garden to pull in that day’s harvest and tend to the rest. Prepping in advance saves me from the temptation of suggesting dining out rather than in. Most of the time, anyway.