These Provençal eggs, laced with softened onions and chard, never fail to elicit sighs of appreciation. I'm forever grateful to Nathalie Waag for making trouchia when she came to visit—it has since become a favorite. The trick to its success is to cook everything slowly so that the flavors really deepen and sweeten.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 4 to 6

　　3 tablespoons olive oil

　　1 large red or white onion, quartered and thinly sliced crosswise

　　1 bunch chard, leaves only, chopped

　　Salt and freshly milled pepper

　　1 garlic clove

　　6 to 8 eggs, lightly beaten

　　2 tablespoons chopped parsley

　　2 tablespoons chopped basil

　　2 teaspoons chopped thyme

　　1 cup grated Gruyère

　　2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

　　

Step 1

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a 10-inch skillet, add the onion, and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until completely soft but not colored, about 15 minutes. Add the chard and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until all the moisture has cooked off and the chard is tender, about 15 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper.

　　

Step 2

Meanwhile, mash the garlic in a mortar with a few pinches of salt (or chop them finely together), then stir it into the eggs along with the herbs. Combine the chard mixture with the eggs and stir in the Gruyère and half the Parmesan.

　　

Step 3

Preheat the broiler. Heat the remaining oil in the skillet and, when it's hot, add the eggs. Give a stir and keep the heat at medium-high for about a minute, then turn it to low. Cook until the eggs are set but still a little moist on top, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the remaining Parmesan and broil 4 to 6 inches from the heat, until browned.

　　

Step 4

Serve trouchia in the pan or slide it onto a serving dish and cut it into wedges. The gratinéed top and the golden bottom are equally presentable.

　　

Nutrition Per Serving

Per serving: 220.0 calories

　　160.0 calories from fat

　　18.0g total fat

　　6.0g saturated fat

　　25.0mg cholesterol

　　440.0mg sodium

　　3.0g total carbs

　　1.0g dietary fiber

　　0.0g sugars

　　11.0g protein

　　#### Nutritional analysis provided by [TasteBook

　　using the USDA Nutrition Database]( )

　　From Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison. Copyright © 2007 by Deborah Madison. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone and The Savory Way, each earned the IACP's Julia Child Cookbook of the Year award. Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone also received a James Beard Award, as did Local Flavors, her most recent book. She is also the author of the James Beard Award nominee This Can't Be Tofu! and The Greens Cookbook, which is now a classic. She lives in Galisteo, New Mexico.