#017 Creamed Spinach, WWII Menu & Substack? 🍃


	Read in Browser

Recently, creamed spinach, has been my GO-TO accompaniment for my steaks. It's both a side dish and a sauce in one. How can you not love it?

Plus, it's extremely nutritious. You get the best of spinach when you cook it in fat. And what's better than 100% cream?

Give this a shot the next time you make some steak

While it rests for 10 minutes, use the time to make the best creamed spinach you've ever had

Trust me.

And please, don't rush the process

Give time for the moisture to evaporate. Let the cream get thick.

If it doesn't hug your slices of steak? It's not thick enough. Get it back on the stove and reduce it more.

Because you're an esteemed reader of the WARKITCHEN, I've included my A-Z creamed spinach recipe below.

With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility 🍃

Ingredients (per person):

Half a bag of spinach leaves, washed and drained
1 cup (230ml) of cream (adjust accordingly)
Garlic powder (there's no such thing as too much)
1 shallot, minced
Few knobs of butter

Equipment:

Stainless steel pan
Wooden spoon

Method:

1. Caramelize Shallot

Using medium heat, coat pan well with butter
Once sizzling, add minced shallots and caramelize, stirring constantly

2. Cook Spinach

After translucent, add spinach leaves and sauté for 2-3 more minutes. Add more butter if necessary.

3. Add Cream

Add cream along with generous sprinkles of garlic powder
Let the pan come to a simmer and stir constantly, removing the moisture from the sauce
Once you can form streaks on the pan from side to side and see the steel, you are close to completion
Season by adding salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste.
A knob of butter just as it finishes cooking adds a nice sheen

Variations:

You can add various other herbs and spices like fresh sprigs of rosemary (which I commonly do), thyme and even some finely grated nutmeg

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. How do I know when it is done?

Taste the cream towards the end to make sure it is thick enough. If it isn't, just let it simmer for longer, you will see the bubbles. Remember to season as per your liking, you can also add more garlic powder.

An entire menu modelled after a WWII aircraft.

Somewhere down under, in Sydney, Australia.

Read more in the Manuscripts of the Week

In today’s world of flashy reels & posts, it’s very easy to make something visually amazing that lacks a depth of flavor

While the aesthetics of a dish surely adds to the dining experience, it cannot replace taste. No matter how stunning it looks, you’ll never finish the plate if it isn’t seasoned well. If the flavors don’t work harmoniously.

And this is coming from someone who’s spent years crafting a unique personal style when it comes to taking pictures of food.

Still, aesthetics is and will always be secondary.

Food is meant to be eaten. To be used as fuel. To nourish mind, body & soul.

Watch Marco Pierre White and Raymond Blanc discuss this over a meal at Harveys, in 1990.