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Thanksgiving: Rich Spinach Gratin

Source of Recipe

From "How to Cook Everything: Thanksgiving" by Mark Bittman


Recipe Introduction

"Practically a custard and totally decadent. Serve this dish in a single large gratin dish or in smaller individual gratin dishes or ramekins. It's a wonderful side dish for an elegant dinner or a fancy luncheon. For holiday cooking, it can be assembled up to a day ahead of time and finished on Thanksgiving, or made up to two hours in advance and then served at room temperature, so it's one less thing to worry about at the last minute."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ Salt
â—¦ 2 pounds spinach, trimmed of thick stems
â—¦ 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
â—¦ 1 teaspoon minced garlic
â—¦ 3 eggs, lightly beaten
â—¦ ½ cup heavy cream, half-and-half, or milk
â—¦ 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
â—¦ Freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ 2 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil
â—¦ ½ cup bread crumbs (preferably fresh)



Recipe

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Put a large pot of water on to boil and salt it. When it boils, add the spinach and onion and cook for just about a minute, until the spinach wilts. Drain thoroughly and cool a bit, then squeeze out as much of the water as you can and chop the spinach.

Put the spinach and onion in a bowl, along with the garlic, eggs, cream, and about half the Parmesan.
Mix well, then add salt and pepper to taste.

Use a little of the butter to grease a gratin dish or similar baking dish that will hold the spinach mixture at a depth of about 1 inch. Pour the spinach mixture into the dish, then top with the remaining Parmesan, the bread crumbs, and bits of the remaining butter. Bake until the mixture is hot and set and the top is brown, about 20 minutes (if the top threatens to scorch before the gratin is set, lower the heat a bit). Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Makes 4 servings



• Smoky Onion Gratin:
Pearl onions or cipolline work nicely here; parboil and peel them beforehand (you should have about 3 cups): Substitute the prepared onions for the spinach and smoked Gouda (or another smoked cheese) for the Parmesan. Omit the garlic and add 1 tablespoon thyme or rosemary leaves.