(Taken from Barefoot Contessa Parties.)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 large onions
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups milk (skim works fine)
3 pounds frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon kosher salt, or so
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Gruyere (or other Swiss) cheese
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Squeeze as much liquid as possible from the spinach and set aside.
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saute pan (non-stick is fine) over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 15 minutes. Add the flour and nutmeg and cook, stirring, for 2 more minutes. Add the cream and milk and cook until thickened, stirring frequently. Add the spinach and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese and mix well. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
Transfer the spinach to a 9x13 baking dish and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and the Gruyere on top. Bake for 20 minutes until hot and bubbly, and serve.
This is definitely not a side dish meant for every day between the half stick of butter, the cup and a half of cheese, and the full cup of cream, but it’s undeniably delicious and perfect for special occasions, especially if you need to feed a crowd. Ina claims this recipe feeds 8, but in practice it seems to feed more like 16. A little goes a long way.
The spinach can be fully prepared in advance and baked when needed. It also reheats very well. Leftovers go great with poached eggs for brunch.