CREAMED SPINACH à la Julia Child

This lovely cookbook sat, never used, on my shelf for some time, but I finally prepared a Czech dinner yesterday. 

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Chicken with Mushrooms (Kure dušené na houbach)

Potato Cakes (Bramborové placky z varenych brambor)

Spring Salad (Jarni michany salat)

Creamed Spinach

The book suggested serving spinach with the Potato Cakes but did not offer a recipe so, for that, I went to my MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING  by Julia Child.

The whole meal was delicious but, when we went out walking today, the recipe Diana said she really wanted was the Creamed Spinach.  So here it is:

Julia Child’s CREAMED SPINACH . . . more or less

500 g frozen spinach

1 ½ tbsp. butter

¼ tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

Small pinch of nutmeg

1 ½ tbsp. flour

1 cup half & half cream

1.    Chop spinach while it is still partially frozen.

2.   When it is completely defrosted, squeeze out the liquid.

3.   Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium low heat.

4.   Reduce heat to minimum.  Stir in the spinach, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  Cover and cook for 2 minutes.

5.   Stir in flour and cook for 2 more minutes.  Keep stirring.

6.   Remove from heat and stir in the cream a bit at a time.

7.   Return to the element but turn off the heat.  Cover and leave to sit for at least 20 minutes.

8.   Reheat gently before serving.  Stir all the time as it could stick and burn.