I miss the south sometimes. A lot of times actually. I miss the summer rains, the golden leaves in fall, the beautiful flowers blooming in spring and the biscuits. Oh man, the flakey biscuits. Whenever I don’t know what to cook, I’ll usually think of something super boring and then give it a southern twist.
I like to think that this is a dish a southern girl would make after she spent the summer backpacking through Europe. Maybe she spent a few weeks in Switzerland, maybe she had a fling with a Swiss dude (think Before Sunrise-like) and during that fling she ate at a restaurant and was introduced to the wonderfulness that is raclette.
This isn’t the “right way” to eat raclette. It’s usually cheese that’s cooked over an open fire, the cheese gets super melty and then the cheese is scraped onto awesome things like a variety of meats, vegetables and carbs.
This version is what this southern girl would make when she returned to the south, putting raclette cheese in mini cast iron pans, topping it with collard green pesto and sautéed fava beans and okra.
It’s a marriage of two places that I love so very much. Some of my best teenage memories took place in Switzerland. And some of my favorite childhood and college memories were in the south. It’s a meeting of two places that wouldn't normally intersect.
I know not everyone is a fan of okra; it’s true that it can be slimy but I think that’s what happens when it’s super overcooked…or pickled. Okra is my favorite when it’s cooked with high heat and it’s creamy, not slimy.
The collard green pesto is soooo good and lovely but feel free to use another green if you like! All I know is that melted cheese with pesto and vegetables, mint and a bit of lemon zest, makes the entire world, no matter what is happening in it, so much better.
Ingredients
Collard Green Pesto:
- 4 collard green leaves
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup Parmesan-Reggiano
- 3 tablespoons macadamia nuts
- Pinch crushed red pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
Raclette:
- 2 cups 8 ounces shredded raclette
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 to 8 okra ends discarded and sliced
- 8 fava beans twice shucked (will equal to about ⅓ cup of fava beans)
- 3 to 4 mint leaves minced
- Zest and juice from ½ lemon
- Salt
- Serve with toasted baguettes
Instructions
- Prepare an ice bath by filling a medium bowl with water and adding few handfuls of ice cubes. Fill a medium saucepan with salted water and bring it to a boil. Place collard greens in water and blanch for 15 to 20 seconds until leaves turn a bright green. Transfer to ice bath. Transfer to a cutting board and cut out the stem, discarding them. Dry the leaves with a few sheets of paper towels. Transfer to food processor, along with the garlic, olive oil, Parmesan, macadamia nuts, red pepper and salt; pulse until very smooth. Adjust salt according to taste.
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Divide the raclette cheese amongst the baking dishes. The end of this dish goes very quickly so be sure to prep your fava beans and okra. Bake the cheese for 10 minutes, until cheese is very very melty.
- Meanwhile, heat about a tablespoon of olive over medium high heat. Once hot, drop in the sliced okra and fava beans and cook until a bit toasty and browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the minced mitn leaves, salt and a squeeze of lemon.
- Once the cheese is ready, immediately top with the sautéed okra and fava beans, a spoonful of collard green pesto and a sprinkling of lemon zest (a must!) and a pinch of salt. Serve with toasted bread.
Carol Ruzicka says
Oh you are so welcome Adrianna. I've got another batch of elderberry syrup cooling now. The first batch of your elderberry lemonade was amazing! What a lovely taste! Luckily I have a large black elderberry so there's plenty of flowers to spare. Wow, I just love the flavor the flowers give the beverage!
Adrianna Adarme says
This sounds so lovely!! I love that elderberry lemonade I'm so glad you loved it too! xoxo
Carol Ruzicka says
You've got one of the best online recipes page! Really nice food. I'm going to make a lot of the things you've posted. You and Joshua and your adorable Corgi look like a great trio! Wish I lived closer! I'm in Vermont! But it's like a little California here too at least in Spring, Summer and Fall!
Thanks again Adi for sharing your talent and beautiful photos.
Adrianna Adarme says
Carol, you are so sweet! Thank you so much!
Dani Colombatto says
This looks SO delicious, and your mini cast iron situation is perfect!!
Michèle says
Hi Adrianna. I have never commented here before, but have been an avid follower of your wonderful blog for quite some time now. As a Swiss reader living in Zürich, I was obviously super stoked that you mentioned Switzerland in a post! As a raclette+international food lover I am really tempted to try your Southern-fused version. Where in Switzerland did you collect your lovely memories? x
Mary @chattavore says
I've been wanting to make raclette. Maybe I'll start with your recipe!
Hausfrau says
This recipe sounds amazing! My family is moving back to the South (Greenville, SC) after six years in a raclette-friendly part of Germany, so I'm super excited to think of the possibilities with this melding of Southern and Swiss flavors. I'm wondering how easy it will be to find raclette cheese. Do you know if Whole Foods or Trader Joe's stocks it?
Adrianna Adarme says
Oh man, this recipe was made for you! Haha. I love it. Yes, I found this raclette cheese at Whole Foods; not sure if TJ's sells it but I do know they sell Gruyere and a variety of Swiss cheese (obviously not the exact same but definitely would work).
Ana @ Ana's Rocket Ship says
I love how you have taken the food of your favorite memories and melded them together like this.
S Lauren | Modern Granola says
What a fun dish! I've never tried Raclette before, but it looks amazing. I can't wait to try this! And I'm extremely curious about how you make okra creamy?! This is on my must make list!
Adrianna Adarme says
When cooked at a high temperature the inside of the okra is creamy vs. slimy. The okra you see pictured is just that!
Michelle says
I'm such a Raclette n00b. I'm seeing this, feeling super hungry, and wanting a pile of this. What a great combination! I am dying to know what macadamia nuts in a collard pesto tastes like!
PS - I'll help you eat ALL THE BISCUITS.
Chrissy says
Last weekend I went to a Raclette dinner at a cheese shop. I'd never had it before (not sure how I missed it on those trips to Switzerland. Or Swiss dudes. Where were they? Sigh. Missed connections..), and it was amazing! Scraped and dripping all over my meat and potatoes and bread- heaven on my plate. Way to southernize it-looks spectacular.
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
When I lived in Switzerland we had raclette often in the summertime. It was very different - we'd shave the cheese right off of the wheel by a fireplace and slap it on bread with pickles! Either way, shredded cheese and bread sounds great with me. I love this Southern version!!
Tori@Gringalicious.com says
I can totally imagine that Swiss dude right now and I can't decide whether I want one of those or some of this dish! Hey, why decide right? I'll take them both! (Although the Swiss dude seems a bit unlikely)! This recipe looks delicious!
Adrianna Adarme says
BOTH WOULD BE IDEAL!