Easy Creamed Spinach

This creamed spinach is delicious, creamy and unctuous and a new favourite at our house. I’ve made it as a side for roasted meats and steaks and it always go down a spinach storm. It tastes like it took hours to create but it’s ready in under half an hour…..Wallop.

This creamed spinach recipe is just so good. Packed full of flavour and super simple to create, it’s my new favourite side and I can’t wait to make it again.

Rich and earthy the deep garlic and cheese flavours are unctuously lightened and melded together by the cream as if the finest chef had extruded, water bathed and sous vided the pants off it. However it’s a bung it all in recipe worthy of a place on anyone’s weekend or special occasion table.

I have served it with my Slow Cooker Roast Chicken and Slow Cooker Sausage Casserole and it was divine.

But first some……

Last week I found myself hot footing it to London to attend a most fabulous tea party hosted by Whittards UK. I was invited along by my cookery writer friend and I was just so excited to be hob knobbing somewhere posh.

I have only recently started travelling to London on my own. Living in the Midlands and having spent most of my life in a field, this was at first daunting and navigating the Tube, mildly terrifying. However I put on my big girl’s pants, (they were pretty massive in the first place to be fair) and got on with it.

And do you know what? I smashed it. It’s not so hard at all it seems. I felt quite the big bottomed girl about town.

As usual I talked and ate my head off not realising the time at the end of the wonderful evening. As I realised I would be pushed to make my train, I began muttering expletives and grabbed my coat.

My friend and I briskly walked the short distance to the tube and parted company as she went one way and I the other. I knew I would have to run my kahoonas off if I was to catch the last train home.

Unfortunately I was dressed for the Antartic and as fit as an average middle aged obese person. I also had a big problem with my tights.

But what can a heavily overdressed, unfit, old person with baggy tights do when she has to run her wotsits off to catch a train? Get going…..

So off I went, jumping on the first tube seamlessly, even bagging a seat. I was off that one in a trice, jogging and weaving through the crowds as I navigated to the next. Once more I hopped on, but this time took my place by the door, ready to remove myself as soon as the doors opened, knowing that I had only 4 minutes to get on my damn train home.

The doors seemed to take an eternity to close and by now I was sweating profusely. I tried to prepare myself for my final dash into Euston, aware that I would have to approach sprinting speed if I was to stand a chance.

I was also aware at this point that my tights were beginning to make their way downwards. Laden with bags and surrounded by people, groping at my nether regions was out of the question.

As the tube finally released me, I was off. God knows what I looked like. Lurching through the crowds at top speed (sort of) I forced myself to carry on. My legs felt like led weights and my tights were now making their way down, taking my pants with them.

Sweet Jesus you couldn’t write it……

I exploded into Euston Station in a flurry of bags and sweat droplets. Frantically scanning the screens, I located my train and sprinted off once more, willing my legs to find the reserves from somewhere. As I descended onto the platform I realised I was amongst others running for the doors too.

This only heightened my alarm but even that could not distract me from the very real problem that was becoming apparent. My tights and consequently my pants were now clear of my nether regions and beginning their descent into public view.

If I stopped for an instant all would be lost, there was nothing I could do but keep going and PRAY.

I made it with seconds to spare onto the busy train and shuffled to the very first seat I saw. As I gingerly sat down my naked butt made contact with my skirt. Flip……By now I was sweating a river and so hot I can’t really describe BUT there was no way I was removing my coat. I needed all the length I could get people.

I sat there for a whole hour unable to move or adjust myself. Frozen in a sweaty, knees together sitting pose. By the luck of the middle aged gods the train magically cleared one stop from home and I was able to hunch and twerk over in the corner seat and drag the things mostly back up without getting arrested.

Only me…..

Creamed Spinach Recipe

I use frozen spinach for this wonderful recipe here. Goodness knows I am in need of some iron. You can use fresh but the frozen kind just seems to break down a little better for this dish.

I use a tomato and a red onion/shallots too. The tomato gives a little bit of acidity and the onion brings out the savoury.

I use Boursin Cheese to hit the spinach with a real punch of garlic and creamy cheese flavours. It melts on in there with the cream. What a bath. 

The only other ingredients are salt, mature cheddar cheese and breadcrumbs. I love a tiny little crunch with the smooth and silky spinach.

All of this is put together in under 30 minutes. It’s crazy.

STEP 1 – SAUTEING THE ONION AND TOMATO

I use my food processor to chop the onion and tomato finely but feel free to chop by hand. I fry them gently for a few minutes in a tbsp of olive oil until they start to soften.

STEP 2 – ADDING THE SPINACH, BOURSIN AND CREAM

I add the frozen spinach into the saucepan with a splash of water. Keep the heat medium and stir about as the spinach melts. This will take about 5 minutes. Help the spinach to break down with your spoon or spatula.

When the spinach is completely defrosted then add in the boursin in pieces. I try to remember to let it come to room temperature so that it melts in that bit easier. Add the cream and stir the filthy lot right in.

Cover and let it bubble gently for 5 minutes until thick and gorgeous.

STEP 4 – ADDING THE TOPPING

Tip the lot into your baking dish. The size of the dish is worth getting right to keep the breadcrumb topping ratio correct. No one wants a big mouthful of breadcrumbs. I use a baking dish that is 20cm x 30 cm. Make sure that it is oven proof even though it is only going under the grill.

Add the grated cheese on top followed by the breadcrumbs. You can do it the other way round so that the cheese is on top but I am not the greatest fan of grilled cheese…I know…shoot me.

 

STEP 5 – GRILLING THE CREAMED SPINACH

Put the whole lot under the grill for 5-10 minutes until bubbling and golden.

 Tips

• Use frozen spinach but if you are using fresh use 3 x 200 grams bags. You will need to let each bag cook down before adding the next.
• Great with roasted meats and steaks. 
• Get ahead by completely making it up to the pre grilling stage. Cover and set aside in the fridge. Place in a pre heated oven 180 C/350 F/Gas Mark 4 for 15 minutes before placing it back under the grill for the recommended time.
• Store any leftovers covered in the fridge.
• Reheat leftovers covered in a 180 C/350 F/Gas Mark 4 for 15 minutes or so. I would reheat covered in the microwave for individual portions.
• You can freeze creamed spinach for up to 3 months. Allow to cool before freezing in a container.

Here are a couple of other special sides.

Cauliflower Cheese

Dauphinoise Potatoes

I would love to hear how you got in with my recipes.

Please feel free to comment below. I love a good old hairy chin wag.

I have linked this post with #CookBlogShare at Lost In Food.