This is a form of gratin that uses a béchamel sauce and includes bread cubes as part of the base. It is a hearty side dish good on cooler nights.
INGREDIENTS:
1 bunch spinach, trimmed of tough stems and washed ½ pound mushrooms, caps halved across and thinly sliced ½ teaspoon fresh thyme, minced 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced 1 tablespoon butter + more as needed 1 cup ½-inch cubes of bread (without crust) from a dense crumbed loaf such as campagne or miche 2 cups béchamel sauce ½ cup Gruyere cheese, grated finely-optional Neutral flavored oil as needed Salt and pepper to taste
Equipment: 9x 7 inch/8 cup oven-proof gratin or casserole dish
METHOD:
Heat oven to 450°F.
Bring 2-3 quarts water to boil and salt liberally. Toss in the spinach and blanch for 30 seconds. Drain in strainer and rinse with cold water to arrest the cooking. Use hands to squeeze excess water from spinach and then set aside on paper toweling.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. When hot, add enough oil to cover pan bottom by 1/16th inch. When hot, add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Scatter the thyme over the mushrooms and toss to coat mushrooms with oil. Cook, stirring frequently. Add oil and/or butter if you wish to prevent the mushrooms from scorching. They should move freely in the pan without swimming in oil. The mushrooms should give off a fair amount of liquid. When there is a liquid in the pan bottom, make a well in the center and add a dollop of butter. When it melts, add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir into the mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms exude all their liquid and it evaporates. The mushrooms should be cooked through and flavorful. Remove from the pan, and when slightly cooled, chop coarsely.
Wipe out the pan if there is a lot of detritus still in the bottom, and return it to the heat. Add the tablespoon of butter, and when it melts, swirl to coat the pan bottom. Add the bread cubes and toss to coat all over with the butter. If needed, add a little more butter to coat the bread all over. Cook the bread, tossing to prevent burning and provide even cooking, until the bread is a little browned and all of the butter has been absorbed. Remove from the heat.
Butter the gratin dish well. Add the bread cubes and spread out.
Chop the drained spinach. Add the mushrooms and mix by hand, un-clumping the spinach and integrating the mushrooms into it. Spread the spinach-mushroom mixture over the bread crumbs and even out with a spatula or spoon back. You want it even so you can get an even layer of sauce over it.
Spoon the béchamel over the spinach mixture and pick up the dish and gently tap it down on the counter on a cutting board or towel to settle the sauce into the gratin. If using the cheese, scatter it over the gratin.
Cook the gratin in the oven until the béchamel is bubbling and the surface is browning in spots a little. This should take 10 to 20 minutes.
Serve hot.
Serves: 4
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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