It is the Christmas season here in Huntington Beach.
I know that because my local Costco has Christmas trees for sale.
Seems a tad early to me, but there is some research that holds that people who decorate early for the holidays lead happier and healthier lives. Maybe Costco is onto something.
In an interview with Travel and Leisure Magazine, British psychologist Steve McKeown quoted research indicating that displaying holiday decorations provides visual clues that link the viewer to happy seasonal memories and that putting those decorations up early extends the excitement of the season. “In a world full of stress and anxiety people like to associate with things that make them happy and Christmas decorations evoke those strong feelings for childhood,” according to McKeown.
Who doesn’t want less stress and more happiness?
So, in that spirit, let me extend an early de-stressing holiday wish from Juliet and me at Blue Cayenne.
Whew! I think I feel perkier already. You?
Here is a recipe for an absolutely wonderful savory gratin. It would be perfect for your holiday table.
Although it is flat-out easy to make (fast, too!), this gratin has a rich taste and its impressive presentation belies its ease of preparation.
The original recipe appeared in a 2007 Los Angeles Times’ food-section feature on spinach.
And, if you are wondering, the answer is yes. My “to cook” files really do go back eleven years to 2007. What can I say? I’m behind.
The original recipe appeared in Guy Savoy’s cookbook, French Recipes for the Home Cook. Savoy is the head chef and owner of eponymous Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris and Las Vegas.
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 pound white mushrooms (I used portobello mushrooms)
- 1 1/2 T. unsalted butter (plus more for buttering the dish)
- Salt
- 1 pound spinach (stemmed, washed and drained)
- 1 1/4 C. heavy cream
- Freshly-ground black pepper
- Paprika or Cayenne Pepper for garnish
- Chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Clean mushrooms and slice into 1/8-inch slices.
- Melt butter in a skillet and saute mushrooms until they are soft and beginning to take on some color. This will take about 10 minutes. Drain any excess liquid from the pan of mushrooms and set drained mushrooms aside.
- Bring a large pan of water to a boil and blanch the spinach until it is wilted but still bright green in color. This will only take a few seconds. Remove the spinach from the boiling water and put it into an ice bath to cool. The ice bath will help the spinach retain its color. Next, put the spinach into a colander to drain. When the spinach has drained, give it a good squeeze to get it as dry as possible. Chop the spinach. Set aside.
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Put the heavy cream into a saucepan and heat over low heat until the cream is reduced by half. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to the cream.
- Butter a small (2 quart) baking dish and spread the spinach evenly across the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle the spinach with about 1/8 t. of salt. Arrange the sliced and cooked mushrooms on top of the spinach in an even layer. Spoon the reduced cream evenly over the top of the mushrooms. Bake (uncovered) for 5-10 minutes until the dish is heated through. I did put this dish under the broiler for a minute or two to get a little extra browning on the surface of the cream/mushroom layer.
- Garnish and serve immediately.
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