Light Creamed Spinach Food

LIGHT CREAMED SPINACH

Steps:

• 1. Boil the washed spinach in a medium-sized saucepan. Drain thoroughly in a colander.
• 2. Return the drained spinach to the saucepan. Add either the olive oil or the water, and the garlic. Simmer on medium heat for about 5-7 minutes.
• 3. Add the yogurt to the spinach and garlic mixture, and cook on medium to low heat until well blended.
• 4. Serve warm as a side dish for meat or other vegetables, or as an accompaniment to baked or boiled potatoes. Crusty rolls or garlic/French bread also go well with this dish.

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.

FAST AND EASY CREAMED SPINACH

Steps:

• Pour olive oil into a large soup pot, place over high heat, add spinach, and cover. Cook for 1 minute, uncover, and lightly stir until most of the leaves are bright green and wilted, about 2 minutes. Quickly drain spinach in a strainer and transfer to a plate lined with 4 or 5 paper towels. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze as much liquid from the spinach as possible. Transfer spinach to a cutting board and coarsely chop.
• Mix salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg in a small bowl.
• Place a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter in skillet, and stir shallot in the hot butter until just barely golden and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir seasoning mixture into shallot mixture and pour in cream. Raise heat to medium-high and reduce cream sauce to about half, about 5 minutes. Stir in lemon zest.
• Reduce heat to low and toss spinach with cream sauce in skillet. Cook and stir until spinach is heated through and coated, about 2 minutes. Stir Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese into spinach until thoroughly combined; serve immediately.

CLASSIC CREAMED SPINACH

Steps:

• Blanch the spinach. Bring 1 gallon water to a boil in a large pot. Add a pinch of kosher salt. Place the spinach in the boiling water. After 45 seconds (exactly), remove the spinach leaves with a slotted spoon, spider or tongs and drain in a colander. Let cool completely.
• Use your hands to press the spinach against the sides of the colander. When most of the liquid has been released, squeeze handfuls of the spinach to make sure all of the excess water has been removed. Set aside.
• In a wide, high-sided saute pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. With a wooden spoon, stir the flour into the melted butter to create a roux that will look like wet sand. Cook the roux for 3 minutes, stirring continuously to make sure it doesn't burn and it becomes a "blond" color. Add the milk to the roux, whisking vigorously to make sure that the roux completely dissolves into the milk without lumping.
• Turn down the heat to maintain a low simmer. You're making a bechamel sauce, which is the base for the creamed spinach. Next, whisk in the cream and return the mixture to a simmer. Cook the bechamel until thickened and smooth, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Season the sauce with the salt, pepper and cayenne.
• Preheat a small saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and let heat for about 1 minute. Add the onions and season with a pinch of salt. Cook until the onions soften and become translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook an additional minute or two.
• Add the cooked onion and garlic along with the drained spinach to the bechamel, folding to make sure it's completely coated with sauce. Season with the nutmeg. Cook for 2 minutes, then taste the spinach. Adjust the seasoning with more salt and the nutmeg, and/or more cayenne if desired.

CREAMED SPINACH

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a medium bowl with ice water and add a generous pinch of salt.
• Add the spinach to the pot and cook until tender but still bright green, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain well, then transfer to the bowl of ice water until cool. Drain well again, transfer to a clean dish towel and squeeze out any excess water. Finely chop and set aside.
• Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium saucepot over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until light brown, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in 1 1/2 cups of the milk. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, whisking occasionally, until the sauce is thickened, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in the spinach, cayenne, cloves, nutmeg, the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, 3/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper until combined. Cook until heated through, adding the remaining 1/2 cup milk if the sauce is too thick. Adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper.

LIGHT CREAMED SPINACH

Steps:

• Heat oil. Add onions.
• Add spinach.
• Add lemon juice and cream when spinanch is cooked, followed by cheese. Stir briskly to mix and serve.