Originally published on April 22, 2014
If you’re like me, there’s a very good chance that you’ve been making creamed spinach all wrong. Have you been putting all your spinach into one big pot, letting it wilt, and then just adding a splash of cream at the very end? Have you stirred frantically so that all that yummy cream doesn’t disappear before you can get it to the table? Yep, that’s what I was afraid of. That is in fact, one way to make creamed spinach. But if you want a dish that will truly satisfy, that will actually warm you from the inside out, and that you will dream about, there is only one way to make creamed spinach. It’s this way, the right way.
Ingredients:
2 bunches of spinach (you should have about 8 cups of fresh spinach leaves)
2 shallots, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
Salt
Pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Directions:
1.) In a very large pot, wilt spinach, in batches if necessary. Be sure to wilt the spinach just until it is wilted, and not so much that it’s over-cooked and mushy. You don’t need oil or anything else in the pot, just place a batch in, let it wilt some, stir some more in, and continue until all spinach has just wilted. Then, turn heat off, set aside, and make the bechamel.
2.) In a separate pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and cook for about one minute, just until the shallots turn translucent. Then add the flour and whisk until flour is fully incorporated. Cook for about two minutes.
3.) Very slowly add milk, whisking as you do to avoid clumps. Once all milk has been added, season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and let the mixture cook for a few minutes until it begins to thicken. Be sure to continue whisking as it cooks so the milk does not burn to the bottom.
4.) Once milk has thickened, add the spinach, stir and taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
5.) Serve and enjoy!