Mostly Spinach
Simple is mostly better. Mostly. Simple spinach is just dang boring.
This was my lunch today. My work provides china and silverware. 😀 I like that very much, thank you.
Anywho, lunch. Last night we had these wonderful steaks that Mr. Pumpkin grilled. I had a bag of spinach and 2 strips of leftover bacon from breakfast. What to do….
Mostly Spinach
- Bacon grease, 2 tablespoons, maybe more
- 1 chopped shallot
- 3 cloves of garlic, sliced and then chopped. *
- 2 strips cooked bacon, chopped
- 1 large bag spinach – frozen or fresh
- 2 tablespoons – 1/4 cup heavy cream
- Splash beef stock**
- Salt, Pepper, Nutmeg, Cayenne
In a very wide bottomed pan, saute the shallots in the hot bacon grease. Add the garlic and bacon after the shallots are translucent and just a tiny bit caramelized.
Add the spinach about one minute after you added the garlic – you do not want to burn the garlic. Burned garlic is yucky. I mean it. If the spinach is frozen, let it thaw in the shallots, garlic and bacon grease.
Add the cream and the beef stock, let it simmer to reduce. At the same time, add the salt, pepper, fresh nutmeg and cayenne to taste. I like it peppery, so I add a lot. Freshly ground because it just tastes more betterer. I like freshly grated nutmeg too. Not much, just some because dairy. And a dash of cayenne. Salt if you need it. Check it first because bacon.
Reduce the liquid until it’s velvety.
Serve it hot with steak. This whole process takes about 15 minutes. I’m not even kidding, this rivals steakhouse spinach without the white sauce.
* Don’t crush the garlic, you’ll get the wrong flavors. You want this sliced, thinner than thicker. Then chop it up. It will be bigger pieces but it will be mellow. Promise.
** Kitchen Basics has the best boxed stock I’ve tried. It’s actually stocky, it’s got a lot of body to it which means there was some connective tissue all melted up in there. Don’t be grossed out. Connective tissue is delicious AND it’s good for you, good for your nails and hair. Eat it. 😀