Spinach – naturally my interest was sparked;
with Parmesan and Creme Fraiche – I love them both;
a dish created by Fergus Henderson – SOLD!
Fergus Henderson is the creator of The Most Decadent Chocolate Ice Cream EVER and a much lauded chef from London, so as soon as I saw him name attached to this recipe I knew it had to be great at the very least.
His name for this spinach dish is ‘Gunge’ but for a variety of reasons I just couldn’t bring myself to call it that, so I changed it to ‘Goop’ (sorry Gweneth!). It is a simple creamed spinach with a robust edge that comes from a good dose of parmesan and a little dijon mustard. It is a little Dr Seuss in colour and texture but what else would you expect from such a vibrantly green vegetable.
A side dish that would work beautifully with a roast fillet of beef and some crunchy roast potatoes – so simple and so superb.
Ingredients
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 pounds fresh spinach, stemmed
1 1/2 cups (lightly packed) grated Pecorino, Parmesan, or Manchego cheese (about 3 ounces)
1/4 cup crème fraîche
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Working in 4 batches, add spinach to pot, tossing to wilt between batches. Stir in cheese, crème fraîche, and mustard. Using an immersion blender, regular blender, or food processor, purée spinach mixture until very smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Source: Fergus Henderson for Bon Appetit
© 2011, Michelle. All rights reserved.
