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Creamed Spinach

Source of Recipe

From "Williams-Sonoma Comfort Food"


Recipe Introduction

"For many of us, creamed spinach recalls special-occasion dinners at white-tablecloth steakhouses. We somehow forget to make this dish at home, but with shallots, garlic, and Parmesan cheese, this recipe will hold its own next to grilled steaks and roasts, possibly even more so than your favorite restaurant version."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 3½ pounds spinach
â—¦ 1 cup heavy cream
â—¦ 1 cup whole milk
â—¦ 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
â—¦ ¼ cup minced shallots
â—¦ 1 clove garlic, minced
â—¦ 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
â—¦ ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
â—¦ Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
â—¦ Freshly grated nutmeg


Recipe

Remove the stems from the spinach leaves and chop the leaves coarsely. Fill the sink or a large bowl with cold water. Add the spinach and swirl it in the water to loosen any grit. Transfer the spinach, with any water clinging to it, to a large bowl.

In a large saucepan, bring ½ cup water to a boil over high heat.
In batches, add the spinach to the pan and cover, letting each batch wilt before adding the next one. Cook until the spinach is tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the spinach in a large coarse-mesh sieve, then rinse briefly under cold running water. Let cool until easy to handle. A handful at a time, squeeze the spinach to remove any excess water and place in a bowl; set aside.

In a small saucepan, bring the cream and milk to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat. In the large saucepan you used for the spinach, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots soften, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the flour.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and let bubble for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the hot cream mixture, raise the heat to medium, and bring to a boil, whisking frequently. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until lightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes more.

Whisk in the Parmesan, and season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Transfer to a warmed serving dish and serve at once.


Makes 6 servings


Change It Up:
Just before serving, top the creamed spinach with a generous sprinkling of crisp-cooked bacon or pancetta. You can make it even more hearty by adding mushrooms, such as button, cremini, or shiitake. Sauté 1 cup sliced mushrooms in 1 tablespoon unsalted butter until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add to the sauce along with the spinach.