After Erin offered up a recipe for creamed spinach and then held it ransom for days, she finally broke down and gave me the skinny on the most delicious creamed spinach I’ve ever had. The whole thing costs a small fortune to make and it will probably raise your cholesterol, blood pressure and body mass, but in the end it’s all worth it for this delicious, delicious dish. And the bread on top? I had a few skeptics who were silenced once they took a bite and experienced the flavorful contrast.
4 T butter
1 onion, diced
4 T flour
2 c whole milk
1 c heavy cream
2 pkg. Boursin cheese – Garlic and Herb*
2 boxes of frozen spinach (whole or chopped)
2 T grated Parmesan cheese
1 t chipotle or cayenne
salt & pepper to taste
2 c cubed French or artisan bread (I used 2 day old bread)
4 T butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 425º and prepare a 9″x13″ pan with butter.
Have your spinach thawed out in advance and drain. I usually press it in a strainer a few times and then hand wring it.
In a large saucepan or skillet, saute the onion in butter until soft, then add the flour whilst stirring to coat. Once the flour is absorbed or it all clumps up like hell with you cursing under your breath, whisk in the milk and cream. If your onions did clump, this is where they’ll be broken back down. Add the Boursin slowly or, if like me, you’re impatient, add a package at a time and whisk as if your life depended on it.
Once the mixture is melted and smooth, remove from the heat and resist the temptation to pour the mixture over some pasta or straight into shot glasses. Add your spinach, Parmesan and seasonings (you can use white pepper but frankly I didn’t bother – there’s already green everywhere, what’s a little black?), and whisk/stir until the spinach is evenly incorporated. Pour into the prepared dish.
In a small bowl, toss the bread pieces with butter and pour over the spinach. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes or until the bread is golden brown. Just try and resist eating half the dish in one sitting.
*There are a lot of different flavors of Boursin and while the garlic and herb is a natural choice, I bet you could try an untraditional creamed spinach that would be just as good – perhaps the cracked pepper or the chive and onion flavors?