Creamed spinach recipe

[Fuser]

All the ones I've looked at so far look gross -- I'll cook with cream of mushroom soup on pain of death, I'm afraid. Any ideas?

[taco_belle]

I just happened to see this yesterday in The Oregonian's weekly food section. It's
supposed to be Ruth's Chris creamed spinach recipe scaled down for home use.
I haven't tried it since creamed spinach is richer than I usually care for.

Makes 4 servings

5 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2/3 cup half-and-half (divided)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 pound fresh baby spinach leaves, chopped

Make a roux by melting the butter in a large saucepan over
medium heat and stirring in the flour. Continue to cook the
roux until it turns tan, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
Check the roux frequently, since its color on the bottom will be
darker than on the surface.

Remove from the heat, and stir in 1/3 cup of the half-and-half,
the salt and white pepper.

Add the spinach to the pan and stir. Return the pan to the heat
and stir occasionally, until spinach is fully wilted and warmed
through.

Add the remaining 1/3 cup half-and-half, and stir until creamy
throughout, and no clumps of roux mixture remain. Serve immediately,
or keep warm over low heat until ready to serve.

[Diane in Bexley]

I make a bechamel sauce too sometimes using skim milk, 1/2 & 1/2 or whipping cream depending on my level of desired decadence. A loittle onion and nutmeg are key. My secret ingredient is white pepper instead of black which seems to impart a zestier, spicier flavor.

[MakingSense]

If you use cream cheese instead of bechamel or heavy cream, the creamed spinach can be made ahead and kept warm for company dinners or reheated. The consistency stay perfect. Tastes great.
Of course, a little sautéed onion, garlic, salt, black pepper and Tabasco...
Nutmeg is a good addition.

[pellegrino31]

I know I'm coming late to this but just for the future, my hands-down favorite is Ina Garten's spinach gratin recipe - here's a link:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recip...

The dish is already very rich so I actually omit the gruyere cheese and still think it is amazing.

[Fuser]

I ended up taking chopped spinach and mixing it with chopped shallots sauteed in a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. I added some heavy cream and some cream cheese. Then I grated some fresh nutmeg, sea salt and added white pepper. It was a huge hit. Thanks for all the tips.

[amyvc]

Love this one from epicurious. Easy and everything you ever wanted in a cs. I don't always make the croutons.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/rec...

[Rhee]

If I were making this recipe, I would precook the spinach in the microwave rather than boiling it. Why introduce all that extra water? Microwaving fresh spinace works very well and no pot of water to deal with.

[amyvc]

should have mentioned that I also just wilt the spinach in the microwave or use frozen chopped as others have mentioned.

[jenniebnyc]

this sounds crazy but it's really simple and tastes delicious.

chop a bag of fresh spinach
heat some olive oil and butter in a pan...i use a non-stick wok
add some minced onion and a clove of garlic
add spinach
add a few spoons of TempTee whipped chive cream cheese, a few spoons of sour cream and a few spoons of parmesean cheese.

Viola.

I assure you, it's tastes delicious.

[Val]

I do something very similar on the rare occasions of making creamed spinach--drain the cooked spinach very well and then add some Boursin herbed cheese and stir over medium heat til incorporated...very tasty and quick and not swimming in a goopy unhealthy sauce--I think that's what bothers me about creamed spinach.

[jenniebnyc]

Agree. I think that's why I like it too. Also, b/c it is very easy!

[bolivianita]

I make creamed spinach without using cream. I make a white sauce (bechamel) with shallots and garlic and and chopped frozen spinach. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Also very good with ground coriander.

[coll]

I do a bechamel and then add a cup of milk. Garlic, nutmeg, salt and white pepper. I add parmesan sometimes too. Can't remember what else. The best I ever made was last spring with local spinach, I always wondered how Michael Jordons got theirs to a souffle quality and the answer is really good fresh spinach, but don't know exactly why though.

[HillJ]

Unless creamed spinach isn't really your thing, this recipe is delicious:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cda/r...

[DanaB]

There was a long thread on how to make good creamed spinach in late December. I've linked it here for your reference:

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/354393

It seems like the recipes break down on two sides of the coin -- frozen spinach/canned soup or frozen spinach/bechamel sauce. Personally, I like the Lawry's recipe, which is linked below and uses a bechamel sauce:

http://www.lawrysonline.com/theprimer...

A couple of posters in the original thread made theirs with fresh spinach and whipping cream. While I'm sure such a preparation is decadent and delicious, I guess I always felt that if I had the fresh spinach, I'd rather serve it in a preparation that allowed it's freshness to shine rather than loading it up with a cream sauce, but to each their own.

[alex8alot]

gross how? If I know that then maybe I can suggest something less disgusting to you. I lvoe creamed spinach