Seventy Left

The creamed spinach from our dinner party is too good not to have its own post. One of our guests had never tried spinach before (she was from Houston, don’t blame her), and she said she instantly knew no one else’s would ever live up to how good ours was that night. I’ll be repeating that line ’till my deathbed. The flavor is all about the parmigiano-reggiano cheese, but I’m sure the cup of heavy cream doesn’t hurt either. Even though this is a savory treat for low carb, I recommend moderation for anyone counting their calories. For me, though, it doesn’t even leave a dent; I already get all my cals from half-and-half.

Traditional Creamed Spinach

• about 3 pounds fresh spinach
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 3/4 cup small (1/4-inch) diced yellow onions (about 1 small onion)
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
• Pinch ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

To prepare the spinach, first remove any unwanted stems or brown parts. Rinse the leaves several times in cold water until all the dirt has been rinsed off. Drain the spinach but leave some water clinging to the spinach leaves.

Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add the wet spinach. (This step may need to be done in batches.) Turn the spinach frequently with a pair of tongs as it cooks. Once it is wilted, remove it from the pan and place it in a strainer and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. (This step is very important.) Transfer the drained spinach to a cutting board and chop coarsely. Set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and add the garlic and onions. Cook until the onions are translucent and soft (about 10-15 minutes). Add the cream, parmigiano-reggiano, nutmeg, salt and black pepper and continue cooking until it is reduced a bit (about 5 minutes).

Add the spinach to the cream and mix well. Continue to cook until most of the cream has been absorbed and the dish is thick and creamy. Remove from heat and serve.

Recipe via Whole Foods