One of my neighbors in France, sadly now passed away, always kept a four-by-six-foot patch of the Savoy type of spinach growing during fall and winter, and she would make huge gratins of creamed spinach with hard-cooked eggs buried beneath the spinach and topped with buttered bread-crumbs, as a main dish to follow a first dish of smoked salmon or a terrine of rabbit. This is a quick stove top way to make creamed spinach. Savoy spinach can also be cooked, drained, squeezed dry and folded into a bechamel sauce and baked for 15 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sturdy spinach, Savoy type preferred
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- ½ to ¾ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
If the spinach stems are quite thick and fibrous, remove them. (See Julia Childs tips on that on page 57 of this issue.) Otherwise leave them intact. After thoroughly washing the spinach, which can have quite a bit of grit clinging to it, immerse the spinach in a stockpot of cold water. Pick up the spinach, dripping water, and place it in another large pot (with no water). Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the salt. Cover the pot.
Bring the spinach to a boil over medium heat. It will release its moisture as it cooks. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the spinach is thoroughly wilted and tender to the bite, about 15 minutes. The amount of time will depend on the type of spinach, with sturdy Savoy types taking longer to cook than thin, smooth-leaved types.
Remove the spinach and drain. When it is cool enough to handle, squeeze out as much water as possible using your hands. Coarsely chop it and squeeze again to remove additional water.
Over medium-high heat, melt the butter. When it foams, add the spinach, the remaining salt and the butter, stirring for 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with the flour and stir until the flour has been incorporated. Slowly pour in about ½ cup of the cream, stirring continuously. A sauce will form. Taste the spinach and add more salt and pepper, as needed, and more of the cream if the sauce seems too thick
Serve immediately.
