Oh, goodness.What can I say about this spinach?
Simply saying it was "good" or "delicious" or even "heavenly" wouldn't remotely convey exactly what it took to get it from stovetop to camera to computer to blog. No, no, it just wouldn't do.
Here's the thing: Let's say you found this delicious recipe that you'd been dying to make, but didn't ever find the right time to, and then, *insert Emeril Lagasse ultra-patented exclamation here* !, you finally found the time! You bought the perfect rye bread (you bake-your-own-bread-o'-phobe, you), discovered the perfect omelet creating technique (thank you, Alton Brown), and hunkered down for an hour or so and cheffed up what could possibly be your greatest food blog entry subject yet (it's your second one- people will forgive you).
Great, right?
'Cept for when the camera has sucked the life-pulse out of every battery IN THE HOUSE after you've taken a mere three pictures and then shuts off to a blank screen, creamed spinach never to be seen by human eyes again. Batteries go flying, spinach sits cold and uneaten, and your fiancé wonders why, oh WHY, didn't you just get Taco Bell?
Fear not, though! For among those scant three photographs, a leader has emerged! Well, at least a semi-workable photo that kinda-sorta will pass. Even so! It seems that all that work will at least finally pay off- the creamed spinach will indeed see sunlight!
This recipe comes from Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, which instantly became my cooking oracle when it was second-handed to me years ago (I admire this woman so much that one time last summer I wrote her a fangirl-style "I love you so much!" email... surprisingly enough, she never wrote back). With a couple tweaks (the addition of slivered garlic and pan-fried onions), it makes for a gratifying, comforting meal when paired with a simple omelet with chives and butter and thick, hearty rye bread.
You'll Need:
1/4 to 1/2 cup cream
3 garlic cloves, slivered (or as many as you want)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bunch spinach, rinsed (but not dried) and stems removed
2 tsp butter or olive oil
salt and fresh ground pepper
grated fresh nutmeg
For the Creamed Spinach:
1) Fry the onion in a little olive oil until the edges brown, about 8 minutes. Add the cream and the garlic and heat until bubbles form on the surface. Turn off the heat and set aside.
2) Heat a large skillet on medium-high, then add the spinach (hopefully water will still be clinging to the leaves). Cook 3-5 minutes, until bright green and wilted, turning occasionally. Rinse spinach in cold water to stop the cooking, squeeze out excess water, and finely chop.
3) Melt the butter in the skillet, add the spinach, and cook until butter is absorbed. Pour the cream over the spinach and simmer until thickened slightly.
4) Add salt, freshly ground pepper, and a little fresh grated nutmeg.
I served mine with Alton Brown's 3-egg omelet topped with chives and butter (if you haven't figured out a perfect omelet technique yet, I highly recommend his) and thick, buttered rye bread. You can garnish with toasted almonds or sesame seeds.
