Spinach in November
By Cat, June 2013; updated Aug 2016 (Photo from Wikimedia Commons)
I’m beginning to harvest spinach from my first garden, and looking for ways to use it besides simply braised or added as a green to salad. I vaguely remembered a creamy, cheesy baked spinach dish from my vegetarian years, but searched through all my cookbooks without finding it.
Then one day I was casually looking through The Vegetarian Epicure, by Anna Thomas, for something inspiring to try. And I happened upon the recipe for Spinach Provençale. “This sounds good,” I said to myself. And as I read the recipe, I realized it was the one I searched for in vain!
See also: 1. Sides and Condiments Menu; 2. Creamed Spinach
Spinach Provençale
This recipe is easy to fix, and won’t heat up your kitchen too much on a hot summer day. I like to bake it in a small souffle dish. It will puff up a bit, then fall as it cools, like a souffle. Don’t be alarmed at this.
Ingredients & Equipment:
- 2 lb. fresh spinach leaves
- 1 large onion
- 1 clove garlic
- olive oil
- butter
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup freshly-grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese
- Unrefined sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
- Equipment
- large skillet or saucier
- small bowl
- medium-size baking or souffle dish
Method
- Wash spinach and drain. Chop onion and mince garlic. Preheat oven to 3750F.
- Heat oil in skillet; saute the onion and garlic for a few minutes. When onion is transparent, add spinach and cover tightly. Steam about 2 minutes. Stir into oil and onions, and cook a few minutes longer. Remove from heat.
- Butter baking dish. When spinach has cooled slightly, stir in 2 beaten eggs and half of the grated cheese. Season to taste and pour into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top and dot with butter.
- Bake in preheated oven for about 10 – 15 minutes, and serve steaming hot.
References
- Vegetarian Epicure by Anna Thomas; see Beloved Cookbooks for more about this book.
