Creamy Garlic Spinach

Image Courtesy of Iren Schio

IT’S NOT EASY BEING GREEN as Kermit the Frog sings to us.  Why not?  It should be, as greens are not only good for us but also because they can be incredibly delicious, especially when made from a recipe such as this one for Creamy Garlic Spinach—which is similar to dense well-seasoned steak-house spinach.  This is the spinach I learned to love as a child, except my Mother made it with fresh spinach she chopped, after cooking the leaves, in a well-worn wooden bowl with a two-bladed rocking cutting tool having a green handle.  She poured the hot strained spinach cooking liquid into a tall glass and handed it to me to drink as she also did with cauliflower, green bean, and carrot water so that the vitamins in these vegetables went into me instead of down the kitchen sink.  After all these years, I still follow this practice.
 
Do try this spinach recipe, which has converted spinach haters into spinach lovers.  EnJOY

Frozen spinach works well in this recipe.  There is no advantage to using fresh spinach, and it is much more work.  These measurements are not too specific and can be varied according to taste.  As creamed spinach freezes well, one might as well make a large quantity and have it on hand.

​3 bags, 16 ounces each,
   chopped frozen spinach

​Thaw spinach in a colander.  A handful at a time, squeeze spinach to remove as much liquid as possible.  Repeat this process.  Place squeezed spinach clods in a bowl.  Set aside.

​3 or more large cloves garlic

​Peel and mince garlic.  Set aside.

​1/4 pound butter
1 cup flour

In a large wide saucepan set on medium heat, melt butter; add flour; stir/cook 5 minutes to make a roux; do not brown (usual roux proportion:  equal amounts of fat and starch).

​1 cup milk
32 ounces chicken stock

​Thicken roux first with milk and then with stock to achieve a thick cream sauce.  (Vegetable stock can be substituted.)  Note:  Though not absolutely necessary, heating the milk and broth help them to bind with the roux, reducing lumps.

​salt, pepper, allspice, nutmeg, sweet paprika –
option:  chicken bouillon

​Season generously with spices, especially nutmeg.  Note:  Adding a little chicken bouillon intensifies flavor of sauce.  Recommended:  Better than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base.

Stir minced garlic into sauce; let it cook for a few minutes.
 
Stir in drained, squeezed spinach, gently but thoroughly heating mixture on low heat so as not to scorch spinach.
If desired, adjust seasoning (spinach sucks up seasoning).
 
Pour spinach into a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap that sits on the mixture so as to prevent formation of a skin.
Cool.  Refrigerate spinach at least overnight to meld flavors.
 
To serve, gently reheat spinach in a microwave oven, on a stovetop, or in a slow cooker.  Mixture is very dense and may be thinned with additional milk and/or broth.

​EnJOY