Creamed Spinach with Bacon

[ruthcooks]

Creamed Spinach with Bacon

Serves 6 as Side.

I first started making this after tasting a similar dish at Colonel Sander's original restaurant west of Shelbyville, KY. The Colonel and his wife used to stand in the yard of their home next door to the restaurant and greet diners there. The Colonel's menu included four entrees: fried chicken, steak, country ham and lobster. With these, he served mashed potatoes and gravy and SEVEN vegetables, passed family style. One such combination I had there was the creamed spinach, tomato pudding, mock oysters (eggplant), carrot souffle, corn pudding, green beans and Harvard beets.

Instead of fresh spinach, you may use one 10 ounce package of frozen chopped spinach, but it won't be as good. Sometimes I add the onion, sometimes not.

• 1 lb fresh young spinach
  
• 4 slices bacon
  
• 2 T butter
  
• 2 T flour
  
• 1/2 c milk
  
• 1/2 c heavy cream
  

Salt and white pepper

• 1 T grated onion (optional)
  

Wash the spinach, remove stems and drop in briefly into a large pot of salted boiling water over high heat. When it returns to a boil, drain in a sieve and let sit while you make the sauce. If you are using frozen spinach, let it come to room temperature, you don't need to cook it.

Fry bacon crisp and drain on paper towels.

Melt the butter in a 1 or 1 1/2 quart saucepan over medium heat. If you are using onion, add now. Add flour, cook and stir for several minutes to remove raw taste. Add milk and cream, salt and white pepper, and stir with a whisk until it boils. Lower heat.

Crumble the bacon into very tiny pieces and add. Squeeze the spinach well, with hands or in a ricer or however you prefer, and add to the sauce. Leave over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

For best flavor, refrigerate overnight and reheat.

Keywords: Side, Easy, Vegetables, American

( RG730 )