Quick Creamed Spinach

1. Prep

To properly clean your spinach, first roughly chop it, then submerge the leaves in a large bowl of cold water, allowing space for them to float freely. Agitate the leaves with your hands for around ten seconds, then lift them from the water, leaving any sediment behind. Repeat the rinsing process with fresh water until no residue remains. If available, use a salad spinner to remove excess moisture, or pat dry with paper towels. Slice the garlic and shallot, then microplane the parmesan cheese.

2. Sweat Aromatics

Heat a large pan over medium heat and add the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the chopped shallot and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the shallot is translucent and the garlic is fragrant but not browned—roughly 2 minutes. Cooking the garlic gently ensures it enhances the dish with a sweet, aromatic flavor without any bitterness.

3. Saute Greens

Introduce the prepared spinach to the pan, stirring continuously. After about 30 seconds, the spinach will start to wilt. This process is rapid, so keep the spinach moving by flipping it, enabling the heat to evenly wilt the leaves.

4. Deglaze

Once the spinach is about half wilted, add the white wine and reduce it most of the way, then add the cream. Reduce the cream by about half until the remaining liquid is noticeably thicker than the cream.

5. Finishing Ingredients

Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle in the microplaned Parmesan, which will smoothly integrate into the cream, providing a velvety texture and a deep umami flavor. For a final touch of seasoning, add freshly ground black pepper to taste, which complements the cream with a subtle warmth.