Cooking with the Dutchess:
By Hanneke Eerden
Today on the menu: spinach gratin! First, I love gratins, probably because I like cheese and cream, and second because you can vary with lots of ingredients. This time I’ve choosen for spinach. It’s a great side dish for steak, pork or even fish!
Spinach is known for it’s high nutritional value and contains lots of vitamins. Especially vitamin A and it is a good provider for iron. But above all, spinach is delicious! I use it a lot, for example in lasagna, or like now, as a side dish. And have you ever tried a spinach dip with cream cheese? That is a winner! Or how about a spinach pie with goat cheese? I’m on a roll now! Let me know if you want to know more about these recipes!
But wait, did I said “delicious”?? Hmm time changes everything, because when I was a little Dutchess I really disliked spinach! Later I learned to eat it, but still it wasn’t one of my favorite choices of vegetables. Then I learned that spinach with cream tasted much better (doesn’t anything with cream tastes great?!) and I learned that I liked it in combination with braised beef, but never used fresh spinach. There was always the frozen spinach, ready to eat once heated. Can’t remember when the tide turned, but it did, and fresh spinach can now be found on a regular base in my fridge!
One thing you have to keep in mind. You can’t make this in advance. Never reheat the spinach once it’s cooked, boiled or steamed. But this recipe is easy to make so that won’t be problem. During the time it’s in the oven, you can prepare the rest of your meal. As I said, I served this as a side dish, the rest of the meal consisted of a creamy tagliatelle pasta with grilled salmon. A perfect combination!
The recipe:
1 lbs fresh spinach
3 tablespoons butter
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon dried chili flakes (use more if you like it hot!)
Pepper
Salt
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 cup fresh parsley, coarsely cut
Dried breadcrumbs (I used Panko)
1 cup grated cheese (I used Parmesan cheese and smoked Gouda)
2 tablespoons butter, cut into little pieces
Preheat the oven to 425F.
Wash the spinach and if necessary discard thick stems. I bought young spinach, that doesn’t have too thick stems).
In a large wide pan, melt the butter and add the mashed garlic. Add the chili flakes. After one minute you can add the spinach (make sure it’s drained very well!).
Keep stirring until the spinach is wilted (if necessary you can discard some of the liquid in the pan). Add the cream and the parsley. Add pepper and salt to taste.
Butter an oven tray and ladle the spinach into the tray. Sprinkle with the breadcrumbs, then the cheese and divide the butter pieces over the top.
Put it in the oven for about 25 minutes or until the cheese has melted and has a nice color (the time depends on what kind of cheese you’re using, keep an eye on it!)
As always ~ Bon Appetit!
Hanneke Eerden – The Dutchess Cooks. http://www.TheDutchessCooks.com