Instructions

• Butter or cooking spray a soufflé or round cooking dish (about 2 qt). Set aside. Preheat oven to 385.
• In a large skillet, cook the bacon slices. When done, set them aside to drain on a paper towel and discard all but 1 T of rendered fat that remains in the skillet.
• In the skillet over medium-high heat, cook the leek and chard stems in the bacon fat. When soft (after 8 minutes or so), deglaze the pan with the cream, season with salt and fresh pepper, and reduce heat to low. Cook for another 4-5 minutes and then remove from heat. With a slotted spoon, move the mixture to a small mixing bowl. Reheat the skillet, add the butter and when it’s melted, saute the breadcrumbs until golden and lightly toasted. Remove from heat.
• In your prepared dish, place 1/3 of the mandolined potato rounds in an even layer. Spoon 1/2 of the leek-chard stem-cream mixture over the potatoes. Crumble half that bacon over that, and then put 1/2 the chopped chard leaves on top.
• Shave 6 ribbons of Gruyère on top and then repeat the layers, potatoes-leek/chard-bacon-chard leaves-Gruyère. Put a final layer of potatoes, spread on the toasted breadcrumbs and then shave some more Gruyère on top.
• Cover with foil and put in the oven. Bake 25-30 minutes, remove foil. Cook 4-5 minutes more, and serve.