Creamed Spinach

My dad, not Popeye, is responsible for generating my long-time love affair with spinach. He preferred it to lettuce. Spinach takes the stage for leafy greens during the cooler weather of spring and autumn.

Fresh, mature leaves, in my opinion, have better flavor and deeper color than the in-vogue baby spinach leaves. Canned spinach often resembles soggy seaweed.

Besides being a mineral-packed substitute for lettuce, spinach can be a delightful cooked vegetable when properly done. A seemingly large amount of spinach will quickly reduce in volume when wilted.

Creamed spinach is not a new recipe as many versions abound, but it is a simple and nice way to mix a light sauce with earthy spinach.

Equipment you will need:

Small saucepan Large saucepan with lid Whisk Measuring spoons and cups Fork or tongs

Ingredients you will need:

1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon flour 1/2 teaspoon salt pinch nutmeg 1 cup milk (nonfat milk may be used, but the result will not be as creamy as with lowfat or whole milk) 3 very large handfuls of fresh spinach (don't worry, it will quickly wilt and shrink in volume)

1. Rinse the spinach very well. Place the washed spinach in the large saucepan and cover it with the lid. Wilt the spinach over medium heat. Turn over the spinach when wilting begins because the bottom leaves will wilt faster than the top leaves. Remove from heat when the spinach has reduced in volume and is bright green. 2. In the small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. When melted, whisk in the flour to make a paste. This is known as roux (roo). 3. Slowly add the milk to the roux while whisking the mixture. Make sure there are no lumps. Add the salt and nutmeg. 4. Keep whisking until it thickens and becomes a sauce. This is a béchamel sauce. 5. Using the fork or tongs, lift the spinach out of the one saucepan and into the sauce. Toss to coat all of the spinach. You may add a little of the remaining cooking liquid from the spinach into the sauce to thin it. 6. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. Devour immediately.