In my personal hierarchy of steakhouse side dishes, creamed spinach comes in dead last. Overly gloppy and often flavorless, it seems like a crime against spinach, which I love under most other circumstances. Two small tweaks reboot the classic into something I want to have all the time: chopping the spinach (so it eats more like a greens-packed condiment rather than a mass of wet, wilty leaves) and amping up the creamy roux base with punchy, aromatic green curry paste. Served with simply seared salmon and rice, it makes a weeknight-friendly bowl that will make you forget about the steakhouse stuff. —Kendra Vaculin
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What you’ll need
Medium Pot with Lid
$160 $150 At Amazon
Kitchen Towels
$30 $20 At Amazon
Citrus Juicer
$20 $15 At Amazon
Fish Spatula
$16 At Amazon
Recipe information
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Cook 10 oz. fresh spinach in a medium pot of boiling salted water, stirring, just until wilted and bright green, about 1 minute. Drain well. (Or, drain 10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed.)
Step 2
Wrap spinach in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze firmly over sink to expel as much liquid as possible. Transfer to a cutting board and coarsely chop.
Step 3
Pat four 4–6-oz. salmon fillets, preferably skinless, dry with paper towels; season on both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Working in batches if needed, cook salmon, undisturbed, until golden underneath, about 4 minutes. Turn fillets over and cook until golden on the other side and just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Step 4
Wipe out skillet and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 3 garlic cloves, finely grated, one 1" piece ginger, scrubbed, finely grated, and 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, stirring often, until butter melts and foams, about 1 minute. When foam has subsided, add 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour to pan and cook, stirring often, until mixture is mostly smooth and golden in color with no patches of dry flour, about 2 minutes. Mix in 3 Tbsp. Thai green curry paste, ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring often, until paste is fragrant and a shade darker in color, about 2 minutes. Stirring constantly, pour in 1 cup heavy cream in a few additions, stirring until fully incorporated after each. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until bechamel is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook, stirring, just until spinach is heated through, about 1 minute. Season generously with pepper, then stir in 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice and remaining ¼ cup heavy cream. Taste and add more salt, red pepper flakes, and lime juice as needed.
Step 5
To serve, scoop cooked jasmine rice into bowls. Divide salmon among bowls, breaking fillets into large pieces, then spoon spinach over. Sprinkle with ½ cup store-bought fried shallots, dividing evenly; top with cilantro leaves with tender stems. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.
