The Food Lab's Creamed Spinach Recipe
Unraveling the mysteries of home cooking through science.
Classic creamed spinach. [Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt]
The bare bones of this creamed spinach recipe are pretty straightforward and classic: The spinach is cooked low and slow to gradually concentrate its juices. Combined with a creamy béchamel sauce, it reduces into a rich, thick coating with a near pudding-like texture. The only minor embellishments are a doubling-up of the alliums (I use shallots and garlic) and a last-minute shot of crème fraîche, which serves a function similar to when it's added to creamy scrambled eggs at the last minute: a final dose of creaminess and fresh flavor.
Why It Works
- Low, slow cooking reduces the spinach juices to concentrate their flavor.
- Crème fraîche added right at the end lends brightness.
Read more: The Food Lab's Ultimate Creamed Spinach
- Yield:Serves 4
- Active time: 30 minutes
- Total time:2 hours
- Rated:
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 medium shallots, finely minced (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced or grated on a Microplane (about 2 teaspoons)
- 2 pounds curly spinach, trimmed, washed, and drained
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 cup store-bought or homemade crème fraîche
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated (about 1 cup; optional)
Directions
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1.
Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach in four batches, turning each batch with tongs or a rubber spatula and allowing it to wilt before adding the next.
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2.
Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until no dry flour remains. Slowly stir in the heavy cream and milk. Bring to a simmer, stirring, then reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting and cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is completely softened and the sauce has thickened, about 1 1/2 hours.
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3.
Stir in the nutmeg and crème fraîche and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.
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4.
If desired, preheat the broiler to high. Transfer the creamed spinach to a 1-quart oval or round casserole dish and top it with the cheese. Broil until the spinach is bubbly and the cheese has formed a well-browned crust, about 2 minutes. Serve.
This Recipe Appears In
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