This simple, 10-minutes recipe gives the usual creamy spinach a complete makeover. It features ground nutmeg, grated ginger, a pinch of salt and a splash of cream to help enhance the flavours of the spices. Spinach leaves are briefly sautéed in the sauce just until they wilt. The soothing combination of deep, pungent warmth, sweet woody notes and the velvety texture makes it a perfect side dish for the cooler season.
The Flavour Affair:
Spinach + Nutmeg + Ginger + Cream + Salt
Spinach: when cooked, spinach develops a subtle bitter taste that pairs well with many other ingredients. For sautéing, I always prefer to use fresh spinach leaves.
Nutmeg: nutmeg has a deep, woody, sweet flavour that creates an amazing contrast to spinach’ mellow bitterness. Nutmeg is also quite sharp, even penetrating, making it a powerful spice that blends happily with other strong flavours – in our case, ginger.
Ginger: adds zesty heat and a citrus background while sharing warm, floral notes with nutmeg.
Cream: balances the heat and improves the texture. A little cream infused with aromas of nutmeg and ginger envelops the spinach into a delicious ‘blanket’.
Salt: we just need a little pinch of salt to round off the flavours.
Preparation Tips for Creamy Spinach with Nutmeg and Ginger:
- The water content of spinach is super high – over 90%. For four people, you will need a fairly large pack – at least 350g of raw spinach.
- The most important part in cooking spinach is to do so for just long enough for the leaves to wilt. That literally is 1-2 minutes. A little longer, and they will become bitter and lose much of their vibrant green color.
- While you can use powdered nutmeg and ginger, I prefer them both ‘fresh’. In case of nutmeg it means a whole kernel, which you can either grate or grind just before cooking. This results in a stronger, more complex flavour, because nutmeg’s fragrant oils are short-lived and evaporate quickly. As for the ginger, fresh root offers a brighter, spicier, livelier taste which is what creates an amazing contrast in this dish.
- Because spinach releases a lot of water as it cooks, there is a risk of diluting the flavours. This is why I recommend sautéing it first until it starts to wilt, then add in the sauce and cook everything together for the last 30-60 seconds.
- To make the sauce, first fry the ginger in a little butter. Once the aromas develop, add a splash of cream, ground nutmeg and salt and stir to combine. Cook for a minute for the flavours to blend in, then add to the pan with spinach.
- If you prefer a vegan version, skip the cream. In such case, add the spinach leaves straight onto the sauce pan with sauteed ginger and nutmeg and season with a pinch of salt.
This dish makes a fabulous side to braised or roasted meat, especially lamb or veal. It also goes well with poultry and white fish. You can even use it as a pasta sauce!
Looking for more comforting sides? Check out my comprehensive guide on how to make delicious Sri Lankan curries!
.
Creamy Spinach with Nutmeg and Ginger
Equipment
- 1 small sauce pan
- 1 large frying pan
Ingredients
- 350 g spinach leaves thoroughly washed
- 20 g butter divided
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 5 cm piece of ginger root peeled and finely grated
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp cooking cream
Instructions
- Melt 10g butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat.
- Add ground ginger and fry until the aroma develops, for about a minute.
- Add 3 tbsp of cooking cream, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg and 1/4 tsp salt and stir to combine.
- Keep stirring for 60 seconds over low-medium flame, then remove from the heat and set aside.
- Melt the remaining 10g butter plus 2 tsp olive oil in a large frying pan (see notes). Add the spinach leaves and sauté over high heat, stirring constantly. It is important to keep the heat high for the excess water to evaporate.
- Once the leaves have just wilted, lower the heat to medium, pour in the sauce and keep cooking and stirring everything together for another 30-60 seconds.
- Transfer to a bowl using a blotted spoon to get rid of the excess liquid.
- Serve warm.
Notes
- If you don’t have fresh ginger and/or whole nutmeg, you can use 2/3 tsp each powdered spice.
- If you prefer to keep it diary free, fry ginger in a little butter and oil in a large frying pan. Stir in ground nutmeg and spinach leaves, cook until they wilt ans season with a pinch of salt.
- The reason why we use a combination of butter with oil is the following: spinach pairs better with butter, but because we cook it over high heat, butter alone may burn. That’s why we add a little olive oil. In cases like this one, clarified butter is an ideal solution.
- This dish is best consumed immediately.
33 Responses
Hey very cool web site!! Man .. Excellent .. Amazing .. I’ll bookmark your web site and take the feeds also…I am happy to find a lot of useful info here in the post, we need develop more techniques in this regard, thanks for sharing. . . . . .
It’s really a great and useful piece of information. I am glad that you shared this useful info with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thanks for sharing.
Great work! That is the type of information that should be shared across the internet. Shame on Google for no longer positioning this put up higher! Come on over and talk over with my site . Thanks =)
As soon as I found this site I went on reddit to share some of the love with them.
Thanks for another informative web site. Where else could I get that kind of info written in such a perfect way? I have a project that I’m just now working on, and I’ve been on the look out for such information.
I am curious to find out what blog platform you happen to be utilizing? I’m experiencing some small security issues with my latest blog and I’d like to find something more risk-free. Do you have any solutions?
I’ll right away snatch your rss feed as I can not in finding your e-mail subscription hyperlink or newsletter service. Do you have any? Kindly permit me recognize in order that I may subscribe. Thanks.
Perfect work you have done, this website is really cool with excellent info .
I found your blog web site on google and examine a couple of of your early posts. Continue to maintain up the superb operate. I simply additional up your RSS feed to my MSN News Reader. Searching for ahead to studying more from you afterward!…
I am often to blogging and i really appreciate your content. The article has really peaks my interest. I am going to bookmark your site and keep checking for new information.
I love it when people come together and share opinions, great blog, keep it up.
Some genuinely nice and useful info on this website, besides I think the style and design has got good features.
Whats up very cool site!! Guy .. Beautiful .. Superb .. I will bookmark your site and take the feeds also…I’m glad to search out so many useful info here in the put up, we want work out extra techniques on this regard, thank you for sharing. . . . . .
I think you have noted some very interesting details, appreciate it for the post.
Cool blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere? A theme like yours with a few simple tweeks would really make my blog shine. Please let me know where you got your design. Thank you
Good site! I really love how it is simple on my eyes and the data are well written. I am wondering how I might be notified whenever a new post has been made. I’ve subscribed to your feed which must do the trick! Have a nice day!
Thank you for another excellent post. Where else could anyone get that type of info in such an ideal way of writing? I’ve a presentation next week, and I’m on the look for such info.
Perfect piece of work you have done, this internet site is really cool with good info .
F*ckin’ awesome things here. I’m very glad to see your article. Thanks a lot and i’m looking forward to contact you. Will you please drop me a e-mail?
Hello, i read your blog occasionally and i own a similar one and i was just wondering if you get a lot of spam feedback? If so how do you prevent it, any plugin or anything you can advise? I get so much lately it’s driving me crazy so any support is very much appreciated.
I am not certain where you are getting your info, however good topic. I needs to spend some time studying much more or working out more. Thank you for magnificent information I used to be on the lookout for this info for my mission.
F*ckin’ awesome things here. I am very glad to see your article. Thanks a lot and i am looking forward to contact you. Will you kindly drop me a mail?
I want reading through and I believe this website got some truly useful stuff on it! .
Magnificent web site. A lot of useful information here. I am sending it to some friends ans also sharing in delicious. And of course, thanks for your effort!
Very good written article. It will be helpful to everyone who usess it, as well as yours truly :). Keep up the good work – i will definitely read more posts.
Hello there! Do you know if they make any plugins to protect against hackers? I’m kinda paranoid about losing everything I’ve worked hard on. Any tips?
Heya i’m for the first time here. I came across this board and I find It really useful & it helped me out much. I hope to give something back and aid others like you aided me.
Good, I should definitely pronounce, impressed with your website. I had no trouble navigating through all the tabs and related information ended up being truly easy to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it at all. Quite unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or anything, website theme . a tones way for your customer to communicate. Excellent task.
Attractive section of content. I just stumbled upon your web site and in accession capital to assert that I acquire actually enjoyed account your blog posts. Anyway I will be subscribing to your augment and even I achievement you access consistently rapidly.
you are in point of fact a just right webmaster. The web site loading speed is amazing. It sort of feels that you are doing any unique trick. Furthermore, The contents are masterpiece. you have done a fantastic activity in this topic!
What i don’t understood is actually how you are not actually much more well-liked than you might be now. You’re so intelligent. You realize therefore significantly relating to this subject, made me personally consider it from numerous varied angles. Its like men and women aren’t fascinated unless it’s one thing to do with Lady gaga! Your own stuffs great. Always maintain it up!
Loving the info on this web site, you have done outstanding job on the posts.
Hello there! This is my first visit to your blog! We are a team of volunteers and starting a new initiative in a community in the same niche. Your blog provided us useful information to work on. You have done a outstanding job!