*Good with cooked chopped ham through it, too. *For a richer dish, stir grated gruyere or comté into the hot béchamel until it melts. * You can also blanch the chard stems in boiling salted water until tender, then drain and rinse immediately in ice-cold water. Drain again and they're ready to use in gratin. The leaves may be blanched in the same water, squeezed dry, then chopped for the gratin