Creamed Spinach | Dairy-Free

To prepare the spinach, bring a large pot of cold water to a boil. Meanwhile, remove any tough stems from the spinach and then wash. Once the water is boiling, add the salt (1 teaspoon per L/qt of water). In this case, the water should taste a bit salty as the spinach can withstand it. Blanch the spinach for about 2 minutes (you may have to do this in batches). Using a large, slotted spoon or spider, transfer the blanched spinach to an ice bath to cool. Once cool, remove from the ice bath. Squeeze as much of the excess water from the spinach as possible. You may find it helpful to squeeze small handfuls of spinach in paper towels or a clean kitchen-cloth. Note: You can also put the spinach in a colander and place something heavy over top to squeeze out the excess water. Leave overnight in the refrigerator. Once the spinach has been completely squeezed of any excess moisture, finely chop it and set it aside. To chop the spinach, you can either do it by hand or for a finer texture, use the food processor. Pulse until you reach the consistency that you like (fine or roughly chopped).

To make the creamed spinach, finely chop the shallots and mince the garlic. Place a pan over medium-low heat and melt the non-dairy butter. Add the shallots and sweat for about 3 minutes, or until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute to release its flavor. Next, add the Cashew Béchamel, followed by the the chopped spinach. Stir to combine. Note: Use only a half a cup of béchamel to start and if needed, add a bit more — until you reach a good balance of spinach and sauce. The amount you add will ultimately depend on how thick your sauce was to start with. Lastly, add the nutmeg and taste for seasoning. Once the spinach is heated all the way through, serve immediately.