Spinach Custard Recipes

SPINACH & CHEESE STRATA

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and drained spinach and cook 2 minutes more. Set aside.
• Butter a 3-quart or 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread one third of the bread cubes in the dish and top evenly with one third of spinach mixture. (Try to break it up as much as possible so there are no huge clumps of spinach.) Sprinkle with one third of each cheese. Repeat layering twice, ending with cheeses.
• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the half-and-half, mustard, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and whisk until well combined. Pour the custard mixture evenly over the strata. Cover the strata with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Bake the strata, uncovered, until puffed, set and golden brown all over top, 70-80 minutes. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving. It will settle a bit as it cools.
• Note: The cook time is based on the strata going immediately from the fridge to the oven. If it sits out at room temperature before baking, the cook time will be about 10 minutes less.

SPINACH PARMESAN CUSTARD WITH FRICO

Steps:

• Cook onion in butter, covered, in a 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add spinach and water and cook, covered, over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until just wilted, about 4 minutes. Drain in a large sieve set over a bowl, pressing on spinach. (Discard liquid.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil springform pan.
• Whisk together eggs, milk, cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a large bowl, then stir in spinach.
• Spoon into springform pan, spreading evenly, and bake until custard is set and no longer wet in center, 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a rack, then run a sharp knife around edge to loosen and remove side of pan. Cut into 8 wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

SPINACH CUSTARD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter a 12 x 8 x 2 inch baking dish.
• Whisk eggs until foamy and add cream, oregano, nutmeg, salt, basil, crumbled rosemary and pepper.
• Saute onion in oil until soft and let cool 10 minutes.
• Add onion to egg mixture with spinach, breadcrumbs and Parmesan.
• Combine well.
• Pour into baking dish and bake for 1 hour or until firm and lightly-browned.

BAKED SPINACH AND ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-14-by-2-inch oval baking dish, or six individual cast-iron pans, with 2 tablespoons of the melted butter and set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the scallions and zucchini and saute for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Lightly press most of the water out of the spinach and add it to the pan. Add the rice, basil, parsley, nutmeg, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and toss well. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, the -remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter, and the 1/4 cup Parmesan. Pour the mixture over the spinach and zucchini and smooth the top. Sprinkle with some extra Parmesan and the Gruyere. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

FRESH SPINACH AND ROASTED-GARLIC CUSTARDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter six 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups and place in 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Fill large bowl with ice and water. Bring cream to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove cream from heat. Add spinach, salt, and white pepper and stir until spinach wilts, about 1 minute. Place saucepan over ice water; stir to cool mixture quickly.
• Pour cooled spinach mixture into blender; add eggs and roasted garlic . Blend until spinach is pureed and custard is smooth. Divide custard among prepared ramekins. Pour enough hot water into pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins.
• Bake custards until gently set in center, turning pan after 30 minutes, about 55 minutes total. Do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool custards in water. Remove from water, cover, and chill. Rewarm custards 2 at a time, uncovered, about 1 minute in microwave at 50 percent power.
• Cut around custards to loosen and turn out onto plates. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and serve.