So, I am thinking so much about our Spinach this week! It’s in the box for the first time this year! It brings me such excitement as Nigel’s spinach is some of the best I’ve ever had and I look forward to it all year long. Nigel craves Lorraine’s Creamed Spinach and it’s a favorite of mine, too. But you can do it with the kale, chard or braising/stir-fry mix, TOO! This week I’ve put in a recipe here for a basic ‘creamed’ sauce to which you can add all sorts of stuff and enjoy as a side dish with a piece of meat, over a baked potato and so many other ways!
by Paige Boger
3 T Unsalted Butter
3 T AP Flour
2 C Warm Milk (2% or Whole, a lighter milk will produce a lighter sauce but can still be used)
1 t Kosher Salt
½ t Fresh Ground Pepper
Melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking for 2 to 3 minutes. Do not let the mixture brown. Slowly whisk in the hot milk and bring just to a simmer, whisking frequently. Reduce the heat to low and cook, whisking often, until the sauce has thickened to a creamy, gravy-like consistency and no longer tastes of raw flour, 6 to 8 minutes for a single batch, 10 to 12 minutes for a double batch. Remove from the heat and whisk in the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. If it’s left to sit for too long it gets a bit thick. If that should happen, add a little warm milk and whisk well to thin it.
Once you have a Basic Cream Sauce or Béchamel ready, fold in your sautéed vegetables, wilted spinach, sautéed kale, roasted sweet potatoes, caramelized onions or fennel, sautéed peppers. The point is, you can really use just about anything you have and would like to use up. I enjoy this as a topping to a well oiled, salted baked potato.
Just in case you were wondering, this is also where Homemade Mac & Cheese Starts! It where much goodness starts, actually, as it’s one of the 5 French Mother Sauces! (see links http://www.thekitchn.com/do-you-know-your-french-mother-sauces-211794)