Boursin Creamed Spinach

There isn't a lot of things grilled that I like better than a great cut of steak! Yes, I love red meat, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. Everything in moderation, right? Anyway, with a good steak you have to have sides that either compliment or stand up to the dominance of beef. Spinach is one of those dishes, maybe that's why you frequently find creamed spinach or spinach salad served along side at many steak houses as well. 

I've already proclaimed my love for spinach on this blog, but just in case you missed that, yes, I could eat spinach at least once a week and be happy. I grew up eating spinach, fresh spinach from my mom's garden, and have loved it ever since. Usually, I prefer my spinach either in salad form or just lightly sauteed and seasoned. Sometimes I will also make a creamed version which is one of my favorites but higher in calories, and with that, only reserved for the occasional meal. 

When I saw this recipe in "Cuisine at Home", I knew I had to try it out and couldn't wait for our next steak dinner to do so. Creamed spinach is taken to the next level with the addition of Boursin Cheese, and preparation is quick with the use of frozen chopped spinach. The flavor is further enhanced by adding a bit of lemon zest to the dish which is topped with a bread crumb mixture before baking it. The recipe itself doesn't make a lot, but was enough to feed our family of five with no problem. A little of this rich dish goes a long way.

This was a wonderful recipe that really showcased the spinach in a great way. I will most definitely serve this again with another steak dinner, but next time I will try it with fresh spinach instead of frozen, I think it would be even more tasty this way. So if you love spinach and have Popeye on speed dial, I hope you'll make this recipe for your next steak house meal!

Boursin Creamed Spinach

~makes about 2 cups~

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

For the Spinach Filling:

1/2 cup diced onion

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 package (5.2 ounces) Boursin Garlic & Fine Herbs cheese

1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry of excess moisture

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

1 teaspoon minced lemon zest

Salt, white pepper, cayenne pepper, and ground nutmeg to taste

For the Crumb Topping:

2/3 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs (made from 2 slices firm white bread)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Coat a shallow 2-cup baking dish with nonstick spray; set aside.

Saute onion in 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan over medium heat until soft, 5 minutes.

Add flour and stir to coat onion. Cook about 1 minute.

Gradually whisk milk and cream into onion mixture, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Simmer sauce for 1 minute.

Stir in Boursin, a little at a time, until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Remove saucepan from heat.

Add spinach, Parmesan, zest, and seasonings. Transfer spinach mixture to prepared baking dish.

Combine crumbs, 1 tablespoon butter, oil, salt and pepper. Top spinach with crumbs, pressing them to adhere. (Dish may be covered and chilled at this point to be baked later.) 

Place dish on a baking sheet; bake until crumbs are golden and sauce is bubbly, 20-25 minutes.

Adapted from: Cuisine at Home