Steakhouse Creamed Spinach

This is a side dish loaded with tradition. Creamed Spinach is a steakhouse staple found virtually everywhere. This side dish is also loaded with a lot of butter fat, so it’s not a “vegetable” I would recommend as a part of your daily routine but, oh boy, is it good!

The benchmark I used to develop the flavor blend in this recipe is the Creamed Spinach served at The Berghoff Restaurant in Chicago. For many years I would compare every other serving of Creamed Spinach I ordered by the version served at the Berghoff. Now I base my judgment upon my own adaptation, I hope you will too.

Nothing goes better with a big juicy New York Strip and a fluffy baked potato!


Steakhouse Creamed Spinach
Yield: 2 servings     Preparation Time: 10 Minutes     Cooking Time: 20 Minutes


Ingredients


• 1 or 2 Bunches Fresh Spinach, washed (1 pound after tough stems are removed)

• 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter

• 2 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
• 4 Cloves Roasted Garlic, mashed

• ¾ Cup Heavy Cream

• ½ Cup Half & Half

• 1 Tablespoon Beef Stock Concentrate

• ¼ Teaspoon Grated Nutmeg
• ½ Cup White Onion, finely chopped




Preparation Steps


Step 1. Cook the Spinach, with just the water clinging to the leaves, covered in a large wide pot over

Step 2. In a medium slope sided fry pan, melt the Unsalted Butter over medium heat then add the All Purpose Flour and whisk to make a roux. When the roux begins to bubble, whisk in the mashed Roasted Garlic until blended and bubbling again. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the Heavy Cream and Half & Half until smooth. Return the pan to the heat and stir in the Beef Stock Concentrate, Nutmeg and Onion.

Step 3. When the Concentrate has melted into the sauce, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 4. Chop the drained Spinach and stir it into the finished sauce. It is not necessary to squeeze the remaining moisture from the drained Spinach as this will help to thin out the sauce. Adjust seasonings.

Serve in one or two small Gratin dishes.


Tips and Trending

~ You can use bagged spinach, instead of bunched, if desired. Most of these bags contain 10 ounces of Spinach by weight so go ahead and use two bags. There will be enough sauce for both.

~ I never add water to the pot when I cook spinach. The amount of rinsing water that clings to the leaves is sufficient to get the job done and there’s less draining and squeezing afterward. When I use bagged spinach I still rinse it in a colander, even when it is labeled “pre-washed and ready to use”. I get the right amount of water with which to cook and my own peace of mind.

~ If you don’t have roasted garlic handy, use 2 fresh cloves and mash them into a paste with about ⅛ teaspoon of Kosher Salt.

~ Once put into gratins or ramekins and covered with aluminum foil, you can keep them hot in a warm oven (200ºF), until ready to serve.
low heat. Turn occasionally with tongs until completely wilted. Transfer cooked Spinach to a colander to drain.