Popular
Latest From the Show
How to Make Old-School Creamed Spinach with Fried Kalettes | The…
Q&A with Organizational Pro Peter Walsh + Dermatologist Shares A…
Actor Hank Azaria + Freezer Meals + Artichokes 2 Ways with Rach
See Inside Barbara Corcoran's Stunning NY Apartment + It's Steak…
How to Make Chicken and Lobster Piccata | Richard Blais
Donnie Wahlberg Spills Details About NKOTB's First Ever Conventi…
Donnie Wahlberg + Jenny McCarthy Say Rach Is Such a "Joy" + Look…
The Best Moments From 17 Seasons of the Show Will Make You Laugh…
How to Make Crabby Carbonara | Rachael Ray
Rach Chats "Firsts" In Flashback From Our First Episode Ever In …
How to Make Apple-Cider Braised Pork Chop Sandwiches with Onion …
Rach's Chef Pals Say Goodbye to Show in Surprise Video Message
How to Make Sesame Cookies | Buddy Valastro
How to Make Tortilla with Potatoes, Piquillo Peppers and Mancheg…
How to Make Shrimp Burgers | Jacques Pepin
How to Make Spanakopipasta | Rachael Ray
Andrew McCarthy Chokes Up Discussing Emotional Trip to Spain wit…
Celebrity Guests Send Farewell Messages After 17 Seasons of the …
Celebrity Guests Send Farewell Messages After 17 Seasons of the …
Andrew McCarthy Teases Upcoming "Brat Pack" Reunion Special
Michelle Obama Toasts Rach's 17 Years on the Air With a Heartfel…
Farmer Lee Jones—Rach's "favorite veg head in a bib and a bow tie"—and his team at The Culinary Vegetable Institute in Milan, Ohio, share their favorite recipe to make with spinach: creamed spinach, prepared the old-school way with plenty of cream and butter. It's quick and easy, and a little of this rich classic dish goes a long way. It's even better when you gild the lily and top it with fried Kalettes (a cross between kale and Brussels sprouts)!
Pro Tips from Lee: Here's how to select and prep spinach. When you squeeze a bunch of spinach, it should bounce back into place. It also has an audible freshness—when you rub the leaves together, they should squeak. Avoid any wilted or withered leaves. Do not wash the leaves before storage. Refrigerate in a large, nearly sealed but breathable container. Keep them damp. To wash, submerge the leaves in plenty of water to remove grit. Agitate and wash again, if needed. Water your plants with that water!
For more recipes from The Culinary Vegetable Institute, check out their Smashed Jerusalem Artichokes and Shaved Radish Salad with Soft-Poached Egg Yolk.
Ingredients
For the Spinach:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 2 ½ teaspoons fresh poppy seeds
- ½ onion, finely chopped
- 3 sliced cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
- 1 pound mature spinach, washed well and stems removed
For the Kalettes (optional):
- 1 quart vegetable oil, for frying
- 1 pack of Kalettes
- ½ cup flour, divided
- 1 ½ cups cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt or BBQ rub
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- Salt and pepper
Yield
Serves: 4 to 6
Preparation
For the spinach, in a heavy 3- to 4-quart saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the poppy seeds and gently toast until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onion the onions are almost translucent, but not browned, about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle the flour evenly over the onion mixture, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Whisk in the heavy cream, increase the heat to medium and bring what is now your bechamel sauce to a simmer.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, one at a time, whisking to incorporate the first one before adding the second. Add the salt, then add the spinach a handful at a time, stirring until the spinach begins to wilt before adding more.
After all the spinach has been added, continue to cook, stirring frequently with a rubber spatula to prevent browning on the bottom of the pan, until the greens completely collapse, about 5 minutes longer. Keep warm while you make the fried Kalettes (optional).
For the Kalettes, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Heat the oil in a pot (2 quarts or larger) to 300°F. Line a sheet pan with a rack or paper towels.
Blanch the Kalettes in a large pot of boiling water for a few seconds and transfer to an ice bath or cool water. Drain well, then transfer to a bowl with ¼ cup of the flour and toss until evenly coated. Add more flour, if necessary, but you really only want a thin coating.
Combine the cornmeal and seasoned salt in a medium bowl and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg. Add ⅛ cup water and whisk to incorporate into the batter. Working with 1 Kalette at a time, evenly coat in the batter, then the seasoned cornmeal, setting the breaded Kalettes on a platter.
When the oil is ready, fry the Kalettes in batches until golden brown and crispy, then transfer to the prepared sheet pan. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve the spinach topped with the Kalettes (if using).
Adapted from The Chef's Garden: A Modern Guide to Common and Unusual Vegetables—with Recipes by Farmer Lee Jones. Copyright © 2021 by Farmer Lee Jones. Used with permission by Avery. All rights reserved.