Laurie Colwins Creamed Spinach With Jalapeño Peppers Food

LAURIE COLWIN'S CREAMED SPINACH WITH JALAPEñO PEPPERS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 300 degrees. Meanwhile, cook spinach according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of liquid, and chop finely.
• Butter a shallow 8-inch-square casserole dish or other shallow 4- to 6-cup baking dish. Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a saucepan and add flour. Blend and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Do not brown. Add onion and garlic.
• Add the spinach liquid slowly, then add evaporated milk, some black pepper, celery salt and cheese. Mix well and add jalapeño and spinach. Cook until all is blended.
• Turn into the casserole dish, top with buttered bread crumbs and bake until lightly browned, about 45 minutes.

CREAMED SPINACH

Steps:

• Wash the spinach in several changes of water to get rid of any grit. Drain the spinach but keep some of the water clinging to the leaves. Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the spinach and garlic. Cook, turning frequently, until the spinach has wilted down evenly. Remove the garlic and put the spinach into a colander and let it drain well. Press out as much liquid as you can from the leaves and chop them coarsely.
• Heat the skillet again over medium-high heat and add the cream and nutmeg; cook until it reduces a bit, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the spinach is hot, about 5 more minutes. Serve immediately.

CREAMED SPINACH WITH JALAPENOS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Butter a small casserole dish.
• Place the spinach in a microwave-safe bowl, and cook in the microwave 5 minutes on High, until heated through. Drain well, reserving 1/2 cup liquid.
• Melt 2 T. butter in small saucepan over medium heat, and stir in the bread crumbs until well coated. Remove from heat, and set aside.
• Melt remaining 2 T. butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour. Mix in onion and garlic, and cook 1 minute. Gradually stir in reserved spinach liquid, evaporated milk, cheese, and jalapeno. Season with celery salt and pepper. Mix in the spinach. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish, and top with bread crumbs.
• Bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until bubbly and golden browned.

SAUTEED SPINACH AND PEPPERS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add red pepper; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add onion and garlic; cook 1-1/2 minutes longer or until onion is tender. Add remaining ingredients; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until spinach is just wilted.

JALAPENO SPINACH DIP

Steps:

• In a 1-1/2-qt. slow cooker, combine the first 10 ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours or until heated through. Serve with chips.

LAURIE COLWIN'S BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bread bowl mix the flours, salt, and germ.
• Mix the yeast with the liquids. You may use more water than milk to equal 1 1/2 cups, if desired.
• Pour the liquid into the flour and stir. The dough should not be dry or sticky, but tend to sticky. If too sticky, add a little more flour.
• Knead the dough well, roll in flour, and put in a warm bow. Leave in a cool, draft-free place and go about your day.
• When you get home, punch down the dough and knead it well. Roll again in flour and forget it until convenient.
• Sometime later, punch dough down again. Give it a final kneading. Shape into a baguette, slash the top with four diagonal cuts, brush with water and let proof for a few minutes, if you have the time.
• Bake at 450 for 30 minutes. Turn the oven to 425 and bake another 20 minutes.