Need a side dish to serve up during the Super Bowl? Porter House Bar and Grill, located within The Shops at Columbus Circle, is known for its steaks and seafood. Chef and Managing Partner Michael Lomonaco shared with us one of the restaurant’s most popular side dishes. Whether you’re getting ready to watch the Superbowl or just need a new recipe for your home-cooked meals, you can’t knock their creamed spinach with bacon. Whip it up and let us know what you think!!
Creamed Spinach with Bacon
Serves 4 as a side dish
4 ounces sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled
4 to 6 cups fresh spinach leaves, well washed in several changes of cold water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup heavy cream
Several scrapes freshly grated nutmeg
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
1. Heat a nonstick sauté pan over low heat. Add the bacon and cook until crispy, approximately 8 minutes. Use tongs to transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Once cool enough to handle, crumble the bacon into small bits and set aside. Reserve the bacon fat.
2. Put 2 inches of water in a vegetable steamer and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the spinach leaves to the steamer basket, cover, and steam until cooked, approximately 2 minutes.
Transfer the spinach to a colander to drain and let the spinach cool slightly.
3. Put the butter and 2 tablespoons of reserved bacon fat in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat it over medium-high heat until it melts and begins to bubble. Whisk the flour into the butter and cook together for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. In a separate pot, heat the cream until steaming but not boiling.
5. Whisk the cream into the flour-butter mixture and bring it to a boil over high heat. Immediately lower the heat and let simmer until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Add the spinach to the cream and cook for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and a few scrapes of nutmeg, and stir in the bacon.
7. Transfer the creamed spinach to a serving bowl and serve hot.
Twisted Talk: Have you ever dined at the Porter House Bar and Grill? What are your go-to side dishes at home? Discuss below!
